Hey guys, I'm back with the next chapter of this story! I'm glad to see that you all seemed to enjoy the last chapter because I had a ton of fun writing it! This chapter will pick up where the previous one left off, with Wild Hunt eliminated, Night Raid will be starting their final assault against the empire. So, I hope you're all looking forward to that! We're in the last three volumes of the manga, so we're getting close to the end of this story. If I had to guess, there are more than likely ten or so chapters left to finish this story.

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Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

Teigu

Disclaimer: I don't own Akame ga Kill or any of its characters.

(Three Days Later: Imperial Capital's Royal Palace)

"What am I going to do..." Honest muttered in a frustrated tone as he stroked his chin and anxiously drummed his fingers along the tabletop. "What the hell am I going to do? Esdeath is dead...Wild Hunt has been wiped out... there are only two Jaegers left...one Rakshasas...and my soldiers are getting wiped out left and right...things are starting to look very bad. Perhaps I should start devising an exit strategy..."

"Minister Honest! We have a problem!" Honest was shaken from his thoughts when one of the palace guards suddenly stormed into the room. "There's an entire battalion of approximately 1000 rebel soldiers marching toward the imperial capital's walls!"

"Damn it, I thought I'd have more time to prepare..." Honest hissed under his breath as he tightly balled his fists. Furrowing his brow, Honest took several moments to think before releasing a heavy sigh. "Alright, alright! Mobilize all of our available troops and move them to intercept those rebels! Then, send a message out to every mercenary, bandit, criminal, and lowlife looking for money and let them know that they'll be paid a large sum of money if they come help defend the empire against the rebels. I want every damn person possible ready to fight!"

"Yes, sir!" The guard exclaimed, saluting before he dashed out of the room to relay Honest's message. Sprinting through the palace, the guard burst out onto the streets and hurried toward the closest group of soldiers. "The rebels are making their move! They're finally here! Get everyone toward the main gate right away! Go now, I need to send out some messages!"

"Man, they're getting pretty riled up..." A rebel army soldier, who belonged to a large group of soldiers all hailing from the northern tribes, said as he poked his head out of an alley, watching as a large group of imperial soldiers mobilized and ran past. "When they move to deal with the main assault, we'll have an opening to make our move."

"Let's do it! We'll storm the castle!" Another rebel soldier enthusiastically exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. "We'll take our revenge in blood with our own hands!"

"Revenge for Numa!" A third soldier yelled as he loaded his crossbow and held it above his head. "Take the emperor's head! Spill Honest's guts!"

"It's time..." The leader of the small infiltration team said, unsheathing his sword and stepping out of the alley. "We have a mission to complete and blood to spill."

The rebel soldiers quickly and stealthfully made their way through the capital's streets, carefully avoiding any soldiers and guards along the way. They eventually managed to sneak their way into the palace's courtyard. After silently dispatching a few guards, the rebel soldiers found themselves inside the palace itself. Once inside, the rebels split up into three separate groups, all of them going to hit separate targets. However, as the group that was tasked with killing minister Honest walked through the grand entrance hall, they were shocked when two of their comrades suddenly collapsed to the ground in a pool of blood.

"Ah, I've found some rats sneaking around the palace..." Suzuka said with a smirk, retracting her elongated nails from one of the dead rebels. "It seems that you don't know the true terrors that lie lurking in this place." Lashing out with her nails, Suzuka pierced through another rebel soldier. "Come, you savage foreigners."

"How dare you!" One of the rebels roared as he charged forward and hit Suzuka with a powerful punch to the jaw, sending the final Rakshasa flying backward. "You'll pay for that, you bitch!" Rushing toward Suzuka, the rebel soldier prepared to finish her off before she could recover. "I'll fucking gut-"

"Weak." Suzuka said in a deadpan tone, grabbing the rebel soldier's arm and slamming him into the ground with enough force to crack the floor. With a grunt of pain, the rebel soldier spat out a mouthful of blood, his entire body twitching. With a disappointed look, Suzuka reached up and touched her slightly swollen cheek. "They can't even begin to compare to Tatsumi or Esdeath, I felt almost nothing from that hit." Rolling her shoulders, Suzuka released a light sigh. "Gut me? What a joke. You guys are getting way ahead of yourselves. I guess I'll try to enjoy myself smacking you around a bit."

As Suzuka dealt with the rebels near the palace's entrance, Kurome was currently fighting some rebels in a courtyard in the center of the palace. After deflecting a sword slash from the rebel, Kurome lashed out with Yatsufusa and sliced the soldier's head clean off. Leaping back, Kurome grimaced as she watched several crossbow bolts strike where she had just been standing. Just as another barrage of crossbow bolts was fired, Kurome watched as puppet Run stood in front of her and blocked the bolts with his black, angelic wings. Before the rebels could fire any more shots, Kurome's other puppets, Natala and Doya, quickly eliminated them.

"It looks like the enemy was able to make it this far..." Kurome mused as she dusted herself off and sheathed Yatsufusa. "I hope Wave is okay."

While Kurome had finished off the rebels in the courtyard, Wave was chasing the final soldier from the group he had run into across the roofs of the capital. A single rebel had managed to slip away as Wave took out his comrades. The attacking rebels had no idea what they were getting into when they attack the palace and stood no chance against Wave and his teigu. It took Wave no time at all to defeat the rebels and begin to pursue the one who had run away, their chase leading out of the palace and back into the city.

"You filthy fucking bastard!" The fleeing rebel soldier yelled, leaping over a gap between roofs as he glanced back at Wave. "I can't believe you're defending these monsters! You should be helping us stop them!"

"You're not getting away!" Wave exclaimed as he was slowly closing the distance between himself and the rebel. "Stop right now! I'm taking you in for questioning!"

"Not happening!" The rebel screamed, pulling out a pistol and wildly firing several shots at Wave. After quickly reloading, the rebel looked back again and his eyes widened when he spotted Wave leaping toward him. "Son of a GAAAH!"

"That's enough out of you!" Wave said as he slammed his foot into the rebel's back, sending him crashing to the ground. Before the rebel could reach, Wave pinned him down and tied him up. "Being able to infiltrate the palace without teigu...just who the hell are you guys?" Releasing a light sigh, Wave looked back and noticed how far he had strayed from the palace walls. "Geez, you lead me pretty far away from the palace." However, before Wave could start making his way back, something on the streets below caught his eye. "Huh, what's going on down there?"

"With all of our forces being called to defend the capital's walls, looks like we'll finally get to make our appearance, General Nouken." An imperial soldier commented, jogging past his comrades and looking up at the menacing looking general. Nouken was a well-built tall, muscular man in his prime. He had a dark tan, a chiseled jawline, and shoulder-length hair that ran along the back of his head. He donned white pants, a standard general's cloak, and large armored shoulder plates. His torso was mostly exposed, being partially wrapped from each side with latex belts that interconnected through rings that vertically spanned from the sternum to his abdomen. His weapon of choice was a long sword, kept secure in a scabbard and strapped around his waist. "Being stationed near the southern border, it's been quite a while since we saw any action."

"Tch, I see plenty of 'action'..." Nouken scoffed, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. "The women of the capital will enjoy being mounted by a real man. In fact, I'm in the mood again. Call number five over for me."

"Um, sir...you literally split number five in two last time..." The soldier said with a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe you could wait until after the fight is over?"

"Hmmm...I suppose so..." Nouken muttered, shrugging his shoulder. However, before Nouken and his soldier could advance any further, they were stopped by a lone, cloaked figure standing in their path. "What's this now?"

Before any of the imperial soldiers could even blink, the cloaked figure suddenly dashed forward, seeming to vanish as they darted between several of the soldiers. Then, almost a dozen soldiers collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from their throats. Just as Nouken and the other soldiers realized what was happening, it was too late. The cloaked figure had rushed through the remaining soldiers and targeted Nouken, slicing the general's head clean off. As the cloaked figure ran away, her hood blew off, revealing that it was Akame of Night Raid that had attacked the soldiers.

"General Nouken is dead! It was Akame of Night Raid! Do not let her escape!"

"I've been really pushing myself...forcing my body to keep going...I'm sure Tatsumi and the others would be worried, but I've killed some big targets." Akame thought as leaped into an alleyway, quickly losing the guards in the capital's winding streets. "That makes 12...so far so good. For now, I need to retreat and rest."

After running for several more minutes, evading any guards along the way, Akame soon found herself in the forest surrounding the capital. However, as Akame neared her temporary hideout, she could sense immense danger rapidly approaching. Displaying her incredible reflexes, Akame suddenly stopped on a dime and leaped backward, narrowly avoiding a powerful, flying kick from Wave. Akame quickly put some distance between herself and Wave, resting her hand on top of Murasame's hilt.

"Well, well...you've been pushing yourself quite a lot lately...and it's made you sloppy." Wave said, coming to a skidding stop and blocking Akame's escape route. "I'm not letting you get away!" Akame's eyes narrowed slightly as she slid into a fighting stance. "I'm so grateful that I stumbled across you like this, Akame. I'll bring your head back on a silver platter."

"Before we fight..." Akame said as she continued to stare at Wave, not letting her focus falter for even a second. "There's one thing I wish to ask you."

"HA! There's no way I will stand around and chit-chat with you, general killer!" Wave spat, tightly balling his fists as he glared at Akame. "Prepare yourself!" As Wave continued to stare Akame down, he felt a chill as he gazed into her unwavering, blood-red eyes. "She can run insanely fast, so I don't have the luxury of just standing here and shouting at her...but there's no problem, my armor can block that cursed blade of hers."

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to resort to fighting...but if you insist..." Akame said as she released a heavy sigh before unsheathing Murasame. "I'm sorry Tatsumi, but I can't pass up this opportunity. If I succeed here, I'll be able to capture that armor and get it out of the empire's hand."

"Here I come, Akame!" Wave roared, charging full speed toward the red-eyes assassin. Akame stood her ground, moving her head slightly to avoid a powerful punch from the Wave. The energy behind Wave's punch sent out a small shockwave, causing Akame's hair to flutter. "I'm taking you down!"

Jumping into the air, Wave tried to hit Akame with a spinning kick, but she ducked underneath his attack. Seeing an opening, Akame slashed at Wave's chest with Murasame. However, she frowned when her blade simply bounced off his armor.

"Give up, assassin! And get this through your thick head!" Wave taunted as he watched Akame leap back several feet. "That damn katana of yours will never pierce my armor!"

"I see..." Akame muttered, before suddenly charging toward Wave which caught him off guard. Ducking and dodging between a flurry of Wave's punches, Akame slashed out with Murasame once again, her attack still bouncing off his armor. "Just keep going, don't relent."

"What the hell is she doing? She's not going to run away?" Wave thought as he witnessed Akame backflip away, putting distance between them once again. "Why is she still fighting? She doesn't have any chance of winning. But it doesn't matter..." Briefly crouching down, Wave launched himself high into the air. "I don't know what she's thinking...but it's my turn to attack now!" As Wave launched toward Akame, floating glyphs, each consisting of four dark petals shaped like diamonds formed underneath him. "Grand Fall!"

"Slow..." Akame thought, leaping away from Wave's devastating attack. The ground where Akame had been standing seconds earlier crumbled and collapsed from the power behind Wave's kick. Coming to a skidding stop, Akame gazed at Wave as he stood in a small crater. "Compared to Esdeath and Tatsumi, this is nothing." Reading Murasame, Akame sprinted toward Wave again. "It doesn't matter how big and flashy your attack is, if you telegraph it like that I'll easily dodge it! Don't underestimate my agility! I've trained relentlessly to strengthen it!"

"What the...she keeps attacking the same spot over and over again!" Wave thought as he raised his arms to block Akame's attack, but instead, she slashed the same spot on his chest. "Wait...don't tell me!"

"Ah, it seems like you've finally figured it out..." Akame said, a gentle breeze blowing through the clearing which caused her long, black hair to flow in the wind. "Your armor may be durable, but you seem to forget that my 'damn katana' is a teigu as well. It may take a long time, but if I keep slashing the same spot over, and over, and over again...I'll eventually crack through any armor, even if it's yours. Long ago, I once witnessed one of my comrades killed by the same method, so I know it will work. It's a foolproof plan."

"That's bullshit!" Wave exclaimed as he pressed a hand against the spot on his armor Akame had been focusing on. "I don't care if your blade is a teigu, there's no way it will cut through my armor."

"Back when we fought briefly at Kyoroku, I was just trying to rush past you and get to the cathedral. But now...you've got my undivided attention." Akame said, her eyes narrowing dangerously which sent a shiver down Wave's spine. "So, I won't have any issues dodging your attacks. Little by little, piece by piece, my slashes will chip away at your armor and soon enough, split it wide open." Sliding into her fighting stance, Akame readied Murasame. "Given our circumstances, your defeat is inevitable."

"That's only if everything goes according to your plans..." Wave said before he rocketed toward Akame, hoping to put her on the defensive. "Like hell, I'd just sit back and let you do that!"

"Good, he took the bait and is all worked up now..." Akame thought, leaping back to avoid an attack from Wave. Whipping around, Akame darted into the nearby forest with Wave immediately giving chase. Running and leaping between the trees, Akame led Wave deeper and deeper into the woods. All the while she continued to avoid his attacks, with Wave leaving a path of destruction in his wake. With every attack Wave missed, Akame would unleash a slash from Murasame, and every time she hit her mark. After a particular attack, Akame's eyes narrowed slightly as she spotted a potential weak spot she could focus on. "So that's how it is...that teigu...the area directly behind the knees seems to be much more vulnerable compared to the rest of the armor."

Bouncing off a tree branch, Akame tried to find an opening to slash at the back of Wave's knee. But she couldn't, so she opted to cut at his chest again, keeping up the illusion that, that was her only target. This went on for several minutes, with Akame dodging an attack from Wave, then trying to find a chance to attack his weak spot. But she quickly realized that she'd need a perfect opportunity to hit her actual target.

"Damn, as I thought, hitting that target will be easier said than done..." Akame thought as she leaped from tree branch to tree branch, before turning to face Wave. "Which means my best course of action is to do what I planned from the start...come at him head-on!"

"Shit...she really is out of my league..." Wave thought, releasing a shaky breath as he prepared to attack Akame once again. With the wild goose chase Akame had been leading him on, Wave could feel fatigue rapidly starting to hit him. "Fuck...if I could just land ONE hit...it'd be all over..." Lashing out with a devastating punch, Wave grunted in frustration as Akame dodged his attack and slashed his chest once again. "DAMN IT! I'm throwing everything I've got at her and some extra! And every single damn time dodges as if it were nothing!"

Wave soared past Akame and landed back on the ground, panting heavily for several moments as he tried to quickly catch his breath. Turning around, Wave's entire body got chills when he locked eyes with Akame. Despite their lengthy fight, running through the forest, and exchanging blows, Akame seemed completely unfazed. Her blood-red eyes showed no signs of worry or any other emotion.

"What the hell is wrong with this chick!?" Wave thought as he slowly turned to face Akame, stunned that she didn't appear to be tired or scared in the slightest. "Who in their right mind can remain this calm during a life and death battle!? Is the gap in our fighting experience truly that great?" Gritting his teeth in frustration, Wave leaped toward Akame once again. "Screw that!"

"He's just as stubborn as Tatsumi..." Akame thought, watching as Wave rapidly closed the distance between them. "I do admire his determination though." Taking the initiative, Akame pounced at Wave and avoided his attack once again, and slashed at the same spot on his chest. With a dull thud, Akame landed back on the ground behind Wave. "This fight is over."

"My armor...Grand Chariot...it's been pierced..." Wave thought as he landed on the ground and pressed a hand against his chest, feeling a twinge of pain shoot through his body. Growling in frustration, Wave tightly balled his fists and turned to face Akame. "Even if I die here, no matter what, I'll get at least one hit in! Now, bring it on, Akame!"

"This fight is over..." Akame said, releasing a short breath as she stood up and resheathed Murasame. "If we continue, you'll surely die."

"So says you!" Wave barked in a slightly embarrassed tone as his fighting stance faltered for a moment. "We're not done, Akame! Not until one of us is defeated!"

"I didn't even wish to fight in the first place. I believe I said that there was something I wished to ask you." Akame said, sighing softly as she turned to face Wave and locked eyes with him. "All I ask is for you to hear me out...it's about Kurome."

"Kurome?" Wave repeated as his eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't know if this is a trick or not...but she's right...if this fights drags out any longer...I'm going to die." After gazing into Akame's eyes for a few more moments, Wave eventually relaxed his fighting stance and un-equipped Grand Chariot. "I should at least hear her out...buying time is in my best interest." Taking a deep breath, Wave pressed a hand against his chest. "That last attack...were you holding back?"

"If I held back, I wouldn't have broken through your armor." Akame replied, shrugging her shoulders as she rested one hand on her hip and the other on Murasame's hilt. "You managed to survive that blow...so stopping the fight seemed like the right idea."

"Her voice...so cold and no hint of mercy." Wave thought as he rubbed the back of his head. "I see...you truly are a terrifying opponent."

"I'll cut straight to the point. I wish to meet with Kurome. Face to face." Akame said, causing Wave's eyes to widen in surprise. "So, I'd like you to pass along something to Kurome for me. Tell her that I'll be waiting for her outside the capital."

"Tch, you have to be joking!" Wave spat as he glared fiercely at Akame, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "After all this time, now you're planning to kidnap her?!"

"No." Akame simply replied, slowly shaking her head. "I just want the two of us to meet in a place where we're sure to be interrupted. I'm sure that's what Kurome would want as well."

"Heh...heh heh..." Wave chuckled darkly as he lowered his head and grit his teeth in frustration. "No matter what way I think about this...your only reason for calling her out there is to kill her, isn't it?" Lifting his head back up, Wave glared at Akame once again. "It shouldn't matter whether you're enemies or on the opposite sides of this war...she's your damn sister! Why aren't you two doing everything in your power to avoid killing each other!? That's one thing I've never been able to understand!"

"You seem to misunderstand something, Wave...I don't 'want' to kill Kurome...but the answer to your question goes back many years." Akame said, locking eyes with Wave as a gentle breeze blew past them. "Kurome and I were both sold to the empire and raised to be assassins. I ended up being trained almost exclusively deep in the mountains."

"I see...so that's why Akame is so adept at maneuvering through this type of terrain and using it to her advantage." Wave thought as he gazed at the harsh forest surrounding them, noticing how dangerous it would be for a normal person to navigate. "That also explains why she can move around here so freely and masterfully."

"However...Kurome was different from me..." Akame said, releasing a light sigh as she lowered her gaze and her face saddened. "Back in that damned city...underneath the imperial palace...she was raised and enhanced with all kinds of horrible drugs. You've worked with Kurome for a long time, so I'm sure you've noticed, even now she still eats sweets laced with those same drugs."

"Yeah...there's no way I wouldn't notice..." Wave muttered as he tightly balled his fists, remembering all the times he had seen Kurome eating her 'special' sweets. "So, that's why she's always eating those damn sweets. I knew there were drugs in them...but, I had no idea."

"Those drugs they gave Kurome were most likely to strengthen and develop her muscles..." Akame continued, raising her head and looking at Wave once again. "But instead, they substantially shortened her lifespan. And they did something far worse, those drugs placed a huge strain on her brain. I knew it was only a matter of time before her mind and her heart would gradually become twisted."

"Twisted?" Wave parroted in a confused tone as quirked an eyebrow. "She's not..." However, before Wave said anything to defend Kurome, he remembered all the strange things she had said and done in the time he had known her. There was no way he could deny it, something was wrong with Kurome's mind. "It all makes sense now. I can't believe those drugs had such serious side effects!"

"I tried so many times to get Kurome to stop taking those drugs, but her body..." Akame said, pausing for a moment as she took a deep breath and collected her thoughts. "She was hopelessly addicted and had reached the point of no return. Without those damn drugs, she would experience severe spasms and even seizures."

"If everything you've said is true..." Wave said as he clenched his teeth in frustration, staring directly into Akame's blood-red eyes. "That's all the more reason why you should be there for her! Please, tell me why you would betray the empire!?"

"Looking in on the empire from the outside...it gave me a completely different perspective. I began to have my doubts...and ask questions..." Akame explained, balling her fists and slightly averting her gaze. "I began to realize that the empire's tyranny was the actual cause of the people's suffering. And then, after witnessing several atrocities firsthand...my suspicions became unwavering convictions. I could no longer, in good conscience, follow the empire...so I abandoned it."

"I see..." Wave said as his anger and frustration began to wane, now better understanding Akame's motivations. "When you left the empire...you asked Kurome to come with you, didn't you?"

"Yes...there's a place known as God's Secret Hot Spring...it's in the borderlands..." Akame said, looking back up and gazing at Wave. "It's a place of healing, made up of several different kinds of therapeutic and medicinal hot springs. I believed that I could care for her there while she was detoxing. Then, there may be some hope in being able to extend her lifespan."

"I think I heard about that place." Wave said as she stroked his chin, his brow furrowing slightly. "If I remember correctly, there were documented reports of people with only a half year left to live from various diseases, going on to live for as long as an extra five years...and in some cases, even longer."

"Exactly...I figured that as long as the possibility wasn't zero, then it was at least worth trying. I pleaded...begged Kurome to withdraw from the imperial army...to free herself from those drugs...and to search for any possible ways to extend her life..." Akame said, fighting back tears as she recalled the painful memories of having to leave Kurome behind with the empire. "But Kurome said that doing that would not only be a betrayal of our fallen comrades...but the mere thought of her current comrades becoming her enemies was more than she could handle...so she refused to leave the empire." Reaching up, Akame clutched a hand over her aching heart. "What I needed to do, was take her with me, even if that meant doing it by force. In hindsight, I should have shown more resolve and gone through with my plans. But...I was weak...I didn't have the courage or strength to do it."

"The person who saved my life is a member of the imperial army. There's no way I could ever fight against him." Wave said as he released a light sigh and slowly shook his head. "Changing sides is simply not an option for me. With that in mind, I can relate to how Kurome feels. Surely you once felt the same way as Kurome does now?"

"Many things have changed the way I felt and thought, but...above all..." Akame said, pausing for a moment to brush some hair out of her eyes. "The reason we killed people was to fan out the sparks of war before they grew into raging flames. It was said to be for the sake of the people and their happiness...that's what we were taught. But in the end, it was really all done for the empire's hidden agendas. That's when I realized that if I truly wanted to act for the people, then I could only do so as an agent against the empire."

"In my case...ever since I set foot in the capital, I've seen so many terrible things..." Wave said as he remembered the all despicable acts he had seen Wild Hunt commit. "That's why I decided to change the empire from the inside. That's how you should have approached it!"

"From the inside? What a naive thing to say..." Akame said, almost scoffing and crossing her arms underneath her chest. "With the stranglehold they have on political power, do you have any idea the lengths the prime minister and his cabinet went through in order to eradicate any who even dared to oppose their ideologies?"

"What lengths..." Wave repeated as his eyes widened slightly, taking a step toward Akame. "There's no way they'd-"

"I know for a fact the atrocities they've committed." Akame said, a look of shame spreading across her face. "Because long ago...those who opposed the empire...were among the very people I was ordered to assassinate." Wave fell silent in shock as everything Akame said washed over him. "As I said, you're naive to how truly deep the darkness of the empire runs...deep down to its very core. It's because changing the empire from the inside was impossible...that things have gotten as bad as they have."

"So what...I'm just supposed to sit back and do nothing!?" Wave yelled in a frustrated tone as he tightly balled his fists. "Things HAVE changed! They're not like they used to be! You just watch! I'm gonna change things from the inside!"

"I see...so that's the path you're deadset on following..." Akame said with a hint of disappointment, releasing a light sigh and slowly shaking her head. "For Kurome, fighting for the sake of her comrades and the empire's missions...I believe those are her reasons for living. Her entire life, the only thing Kurome has ever known is fighting for the empire...the entire time, her body being destroyed by those drugs. With what little bit of life she has left...if that's what she truly wants, then I'll fight. I'll fight...and save her from her own suffering." Wave's eyes widened in surprise as he watched a single tear roll down Akame's cheek. "As her big sister, this is all I can do for her now!"

"ENOUGH!" Wave roared as he whipped around and began to walk away from Akame. "I'd have listened if it was some way to save Kurome...but I refuse to listen to another damn word about her death!" Pulling out Grand Chariot's blade, Wave donned the teigu armor. "I don't give a shit what the circumstances are...killing your own sister as a way of 'saving' her...you're fucking insane. I'm going to crush that rebel army of yours...then I'll take Kurome to that hidden spring and heal her." Bending his legs, Wave leaped into the air away from Akame. "Kurome doesn't need any of your type of saving!"

"..." Akame said nothing, watching as Wave fled deeper into the forest and decided to not chase after him. "Damn it...that conversation took way too long. If I don't leave now, I'll be in danger. I need to get back to Tatsumi and the others." Sparing one last glance back at the capital's walls, Akame began to run back toward Night Raid's base. "Kurome...one way or another, I will save you."

"Shit...she's not coming after me..." Wave thought as he glanced back, seeing that Akame was not pursuing him. "Akame...I never knew she'd be this powerful...and after escaping the execution platform, I'm sure Tatsumi has as well. I need to get stronger too!"

(Twenty Minutes Later: Imperial Palace)

"Well, that was unexpected..." Wave thought, landing in the palace's central courtyard and released Grand Chariot's armor. Exhaling deeply, Wave took a seat on the ground and hung his head slightly. "At least I didn't die."

"WAVE!" Hearing a shout from his side, Wave was surprised to see Kurome running toward him. "You disappeared for a bit, I was starting to get worried!" Panting slightly, Kurome rested her hands on her knees. "The people who attacked the palace apparently were survivors from the northern tribes who had allied with the rebel army."

"This timing is so strange...why would the northern tribes be sending assassins?" Wave thought, leaning forward a bit and stroking his chin. "Maybe they think the empire is about to fall...and wanted to get revenge with their own hands before that happens. I have to admit, they're a tough bunch of bastards. To think, they managed to break-" Wave was so engrossed in thoughts, that he didn't realize that Kurome had yanked off his shirt until he was hit by a chilly breeze. Yelping in surprise, Wave immediately used his arms to cover himself as his face flushed bright red. "What the hell are you doing!?"

"Some of them had weapons coated in poison..." Kurome reasoned as she closely examined Wave's body, making him feel a bit uncomfortable. "So you need to make sure you didn't get even a single scratch or graze by them."

"Well, I do have my armor teigu, so I should be fine." Wave countered, avoiding Kurome's gaze and staring down at his lap. "She doesn't need to know how close I was to being cut by Akame's teigu."

"Hmm, I guess you do have a point..." Kurome said as she continued to stare at Wave's chest, her gaze focusing on his lean muscles. Leaning in closer, Kurome pressed a hand against Wave's pecs, causing his face to flush even further. "Wow...we've been working together for so long...but I never knew you were this ripped."

"Well, I was born near the ocean, so I have the body of a swimmer..." Wave explained, starting to feel a bit more comfortable as Kurome continued to touch his chest. After a few more moments, Kurome smiled and stepped back. "Hey, Kurome...the battle that will decide this war is right around the corner...but I suppose even now, fighting Akame is your top priority."

"Of course!" Kurome cheered with a bright smile which caught Wave completely off guard. "I want to kill my big sis myself before anyone else has a chance to. But if I were to lose and get killed by my sis, I'd be okay with that too!" A dark, twisted look appeared in Kurome's eyes, causing a chill to run down Wave's spine. "Either way, we'll be together forever...so, I want to fight her as soon as I can!" Seeing the distressed look on Wave's face, Kurome coked her head slightly. "...Wave?"

"Holy hell, she's talking batshit insane too...I have to stop these sisters from ever meeting." Wave thought as he pressed a hand to his face, feeling a tremble run through his entire body. "There has to be something I can do."

(Several Hours Later: Night Raid's Hidden Base)

"So, you even killed general Nouken too?" Leone asked, straddling Akame's back as she gave the red-eyed assassin a massage. "Damn girl, you really put in a lot of work."

"Hey, I took out all my targets too." Chelsea chimed in as she lounged on a couch nearby, rolling a sucker around in her mouth. "Where's my back massage?"

"Sure, sure, you're up next..." Leone said, looking over at Chelsea and smirking. Raising her hands and making squeezing motions, Leone wriggled her eyebrows. "I'll touch your body all over, get in all your nooks and crannies, make you feel real good."

"Yeah, on second thought, I'll pass." Chelsea said as she rolled her eyes at Leone's perverted suggestion. "My targets were all pretty to hit, unlike Akame's."

"You can give me a massage any time Leone." Cosmina said with a devious smirk, winking at the busty blonde assassin before she plopped down onto the couch next to Chelsea. "Or maybe I can give you a massage instead?"

"Oh, I may have to take you up on that offer." Leone said as she licked her lips, openly ogling Cosmina. "Tatsumi did say that your hands work wonders."

"Ahem!" Tatsumi exclaimed, coughing into his fist to get everyone's attention and get off such an embarrassing and perverted topic. "So, you tried to call out Kurome? I wish I was there...maybe I could have convinced Wave..." Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi's brow furrowed as he crossed his arms. "Akame...are you sure that you still want to kill Kurome? I don't have any siblings, so I can't fully understand what you're feeling right now...but killing your own sister...I can't imagine."

"I really don't want to kill Kurome, but I don't see any other options..." Akame said as she released a heavy sigh, looking down at the floor. "She's a threat...and she's too far gone...I have to kill her."

"Okay, Akame...I may not like it, but if that's what you really think is right...I'll support you. I'm gonna head down to the firing range and check on Sayo and Mine." Tatsumi said with a small smile, before crouching down and kissing the top of Akame's head. Walking out of the room, Tatsumi stepped out into the hallway. However, he was surprised when someone suddenly yanked him into a room and closed the door. Whipping around, Tatsumi's eyes widened when he saw that it was Esdeath who had grabbed him. "E-Esdeath? What are you doing here? I thought you were at the rebel army's headquarters, preparing for the final battle against the capital."

"I was, but I came here to discuss somethings with Najenda, and truth be told..." Esdeath said with a small smile before she leaned in and gave Tatsumi a brief, yet passionate kiss. Eventually breaking their liplock, Esdeath continued to smile at Tatsumi. "I wished to see you, Tatsumi. It's been so long since I was able to see your face..." Reaching up, Esdeath gently caressed Tatsumi's cheek. But suddenly her smile faded and she pulled her hand away. "But that's not why I pulled you in here. We must discuss something."

"Oh...uh, sure thing." Tatsumi said in a slightly confused tone, quirking an eyebrow. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I overheard you discussing Akame's recent mission...and her meeting with Wave." Esdeath replied as she gripped Tatsumi's shoulders and locked eyes with him. "They may still be working with the empire, but Wave and Kurome were my subordinates and I don't want to see them die. Wave can disapprove as much as he wants, but Akame and Kurome...those two are going to fight sometime soon, and knowing Wave, he's going to try and stop the fight. And knowing you, Tatsumi...you're going to go and back Akame up. All I ask is that when Akame and Kurome do fight...you let me come along as well. Perhaps I can stop them before there's any bloodshed."

"I...I can't believe I'm hearing something like this from Esdeath." Tatsumi thought, staring at Esdeath in complete shock before a smile spread across his face. "Pulling Esdeath away from the evil of the empire and surrounding her with kind people...it really has changed her." Leaning in, Tatsumi kissed Esdeath once again which she gladly accepted. Breaking their liplock, Tatsumi gripped Esdeath's hands. "Of course, you can come, Esdeath."

(Later That Night: Outside Night Raid's Base)

"Thanks for the massage earlier, Leone. It feels like the all stress has been pulled from my body. Now I can fight at full power." Akame said as she put on her jacket and rolled her shoulders. "After all the assassinations we've been performing, I know that the empire is going to want revenge. There's no doubt that they'll send their secret unit to hunt us down. It'll be dangerous when it gets dark out tonight. So, I'll head out now and go on guard duty."

"Tatsumi's still exhausted, and Cosmina and Sayo are out on a mission, so I'll go too." Leone said with a smirk, performing a couple of quick stretches. "My good sense of smell will help too."

"Thank you, Leone." Akame said as she nodded her head, resting her hand on Murasame's hilt. "I'll be counting on you."

"This will be a fight against your former teammates." Najenda said, pausing to take a drag from her cigarette. "Please do your best."

"This is the way of life I chose." Akame said before she began to walk off, with Leone following closely behind her. "If they attack, I'll make sure they rest in pieces."

(Same Time: Streets of the Imperial Capital)

"Hmmm, they should be around here..." Kurome thought, glancing around as she walked through the nearly empty streets of the capital. Turning a corner, Kurome's face brightened when she spotted several familiar faces. "There they are."

"Kurome!" One of her old squad mates called out when they finally noticed her approaching. "It's been such a long time!"

"It's been forever! Have things been going well with the Jaeger team?"

"I missed you guys too..." Kurome said with a smile as she mingled with her old teammates. However, as Kurome looked over the group, she noticed that something was off. "Hey...are there fewer of you guys now?"

"Myle. Sena. Rico...they were all disposed of because they were weak."

"Joe's also undergoing examination, but...I don't think he's going to pass..."

"I see..." Kurome muttered, nervously rubbing her arm. "I'd hate to be disposed of."

"Counting those that have died on the job, we're all that's left."

"Are you holding up okay, Kurome?"

"Yeah." Kurome replied with a small smile as she tilted her head slightly. "For now, at least."

"Oh good, that's a relief."

"The empire's going to win the final battle! So let's do our best too!"

"Of course." Kurome said, chuckling as one of her larger comrades playfully slapped her on the back. "By the way, Kairi's the leader now, right?"

"That's right, Kurome." Hearing a familiar voice, Kurome turned around and was surprised to see Kairi. However, his appearance caught her completely off guard. He appeared to be middle-aged, but Kairi was, chronologically, a young man with grey hair and black hair. Kairi took drugs similar to Kurome's and the consistent doping had taken away his youthful appearance, leaving him with grayed hair and rhytides. He wore a standard Dark Squad uniform that predominantly consisted of black attire. The uniform was a shirt with long sleeves, a pair of pants and shoes, leather arm guards covering his outer forearms, and a white belt that holstered two short swords on each side, with kusazuri behind his waist. With a friendly wave, Kairi approached Kurome and his comrades. "Long time no see!"

"Wow..." Kurome said as she eyes Kairi's haggard appearance from head to toe. "The side effects of the medication are making you look awful."

"And they put me in a lousy mood too." Kairi added, sighing lightly and shrugging his shoulders. "They said something about my hormones changing or something like that. I'm still only a teenager for crying out loud. But, I guess that doesn't really matter. I can still fight, so I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth..." Looking saddened for a moment, Kairi perked back up and clapped his hands, getting everyone's attention. "Alright! Our mission involves the assassination of important figures at the head base of the rebel army!"

"This is an important mission." Kurome thought as she balled her fists, her brow furrowing. "We'll pay those rebels back for all the havoc they've caused."

"We've scouted the area well, but they've got high security! It'll be an S-level difficulty mission!" Kairi proclaimed, causing all of his comrades, minus Kurome, to tense slightly. "Even if it will be hard, our orders are to push through! There will be casualties...but no matter what, we will avenge those that have been killed! Let's get this done! We'll kill a shitload of them and shock the higher-ups!"

"Hell yeah!"

"That's our job!"

"We'll cut those rebels down!"

"But..." One of the female members of the Dark Squad interjected, nervously wringing her hands together. "Akame is supposed to be with them..."

"We will kill that traitor. That is all." Kairi announced firmly as he glared at his subordinates, giving them no room to argue with him. "Besides, I never liked the Elite Seven anyway. Most of them are dead and buried. There are no survivors left in the imperial army! So kill Akame without hesitation! And avoid Murasame at all costs, it's a ferocious offense! Now dose up!"

Following their leader's orders, all the members of the Dark Squad, including Kurome, took their drugs. Now fully prepared, the Dark Squad began to make their way out of the capital, marching through the streets.

"We'll split our forces between east and west, then charge the enemy! That way, even if one flank is wiped out, we'll still have a way in!" Kairi ordered as he led his troops, taking the front of the pack. As they marched, Kairi glanced back at Kurome. "Hey, Kurome...when this mission is over, stay the night and hang out with us. You're super popular. All of us want to catch up with you."

Sure thing..." Kurome said with a small smile, glancing around at her old comrades. "I want to talk with you all as well."

(Two Hours Later: One Mile from Rebel Army Headquarters)

"Get ready everyone, we're nearing the rebel base! There's sure to be guards around!" Kairi exclaimed as he sprinted through the forest close to the rebel headquarters. However, as Kairi began to lead his troops up a hill, he stopped in his tracks when he spotted a lone figure standing atop the hill. "Stop! There's someone ahead of us!" Finally getting a good look at the person blocking their path, Kairi grimaced when he gazed into Akame's blood-red eyes. "So...she predicted our route. I see you wanted to ambush yourself, Akame!"

"Damn, so Kurome went where Leone's on watch. I'll have to finish things up here quickly." Kurome thought, clicking her tongue in disappointment before she released a light sigh. "If we had waited for you in a large group, you would have spotted us for sure." Looking closer at her adversary, Akame's eyes widened when she realized one of them looked familiar. "I have to ask...are you Kairi, perhaps?"

"Ding! Ding! Ding! You guessed correctly!" Kairi replied with a smirk as he glared at Akame. "I've been through a hell of a lot, and it's taken quite the toll on me. And this all happened because a certain someone bailed on me."

"There's no point trying to rattle me. It won't work." Akame said, tightly gripping Murasame's hilt, ready to draw in an instant. "My reinforcements should be here momentarily. Since you've been spotted, I highly advise you retreat."

"Now you're trying to rattle us. Sorry Akame, but we've got our reasons for being out here." Kairi said as he took a step toward Akame, lowering his hands near his dual swords. "We're pushing forward no matter what."

"Move one inch closer..." Akame shouted, sliding into her fighting stance and unsheathing Murasame, the blade shining in the moonlight. "I'll send to rest in pieces!"

"Heh, she didn't hesitant at all. Better go all out..." Kairi thought as he reached into his pocket and pulled out another pill, before popping it into his mouth. "Extreme strength pill." Kairi's entire body tensed as the drug took effect almost instantly. Clutching his stomach and bending forward, Kairi growled in pain for several moments. However, he soon appeared to be fine, exhaling as he raised his head and glared fiercely at Akame, a menacing look in his eyes. With a single gesture, two of Kairi's subordinates charged toward the red-eyes assassin. "Wipe her out. Target: Akame!"

"You fucking traitor!"

"You'll die here!"

"Rest in pieces!" Akame growled, before sprinting down the hill toward the Dark Squad members. Leaping in between two of the imperial troops, Akame easily dodged their coordinated attack and sliced both of them to bits. "Rest in pieces!" Instantly, acquiring her next target, Akame rushed toward a Dark Squad member that was trying to hit her with arrows. As she drew closer, Akame showcased her incredible reflexes when she cut an arrow in half with Murasame. Before the imperial soldier could even draw his sword, Akame sliced him in half vertically. "Rest in pieces!"

Landing at the bottom of the hill, Akame paused to catch her breath as her enemy's blood dripped down her face and arms. Raising her head, Akame quickly spotted two massive Dark Squad troops running toward her with their spears drawn. Akame leaped into the air and dodged both spears, the spearheads piercing the ground where she had just been standing. In the blink of an eye, Akame sliced one of the massive soldier's heads clean off.

"Rest in pieces!" Akame yelled as she turned toward the other massive soldier, slicing both of his arms off with two rapid slashes. Leaving the soldier to die from Murasame's poison, Akame turned her attention toward two more Dark Squad troops that were firing arrows at her. Thinking on her feet, Akame grabbed the poisoned soldier she had just attacked and used him as a shield to block arrows. Charging toward the final two Dark Squad troops, Akame hurled the poisoned soldier and closed the distance. Then, with one, wide slash, Akame bisected both Dark Squad troops. "Rest in pieces!"

With shimmering blood dripping off Murasame's blade, Akame panted lightly as she tried to catch her breath and calm her emotions. Akame gazed at the mess of death and body parts in her wake, blood that almost looked like tears flowing down her cheeks. However, Akame barely had a moment to think before the final member of the Dark Squad lept toward her, both of his blades drawn. Akame quickly raised Murasame and used the teigu to block Kairi's attack. Pushing forward, Akame managed to overpower Kairi and send him skidding backward.

Leaping toward each other, Kairi and Akame entered into a fierce duel. The forest filled with the sounds of clashing blades and the flash of sparks as Akame and Kairi rapidly traded blows. After narrowly dodging one of Akame's attacks, Kairi attempted to hit her with a kick to the head. But Akame managed to raise her arms in time and block Kairi's kick. Gritting her teeth, Akame was sent skidding back. However, the red-eyed assassin quickly recovered and rushed toward Kairi. Glaring fiercely at Akame as she rapidly closed the distance, Kairi charged toward her as well.

"Rest in pieces!" Akame shouted, exchanging a single slash with Kairi in the blink of an eye as they both sped past each other. Coming to a skidding stop, Akame appeared to be completely unharmed. Kairi however smirked as a large cut across his chest spewed out blood. Glancing back, Akame watched as Kairi stumbled forward, clutching his chest. "I wish things turned out differently Kairi."

"Damn it...I knew that I didn't like the elite seven, but...they're so strong..." Kairi said with a grin as he collapsed onto his knees, Murasame's poison rapidly spreading through his body. Looking back at Akame, the red-eyed assassin's eyes widened slightly when for a brief moment she saw Kairi as the young man he used to look like. "Nice job, Akame...you totally outclassed me..."

"Goodbye, Kairi..." Akame muttered, averting her gaze before she flicked the blood off Murasame's blade. Resheathing her teigu, Akame perked up slightly when she heard the sounds of fighting coming from nearby. "That must be Leone...and Kurome will be there as well..."

(Same Time: With Leone and the Rebel Reinforcements)

"Damn it, their reinforcements got here quicker than we were expecting." Kurome thought as she watched her comrades engage the rebel soldiers that had cut them off. However, Kurome couldn't be distracted for very long as she suddenly leaned back, narrowly dodging a devastating punch from Leone. "If it was just this blonde bitch, it would be bad enough!"

"I still need to pay you back for taking my arm!" Leone exclaimed with a devious smirk in her Lionel form, baring her fangs as she continued to put pressure on Kurome which forced her to go on the defensive. As Kurome continued to back away, she stumbled slightly over an exposed root, giving Leone the opening she had been looking for. "Grit your teeth, Kurome! This is gonna hurt!"

"Kurome!" Just as Leone was about to land a powerful punch, she stopped when she heard a familiar voice call out. Glancing back, Leone wasn't surprised to see Akame standing atop a small pile of rocks. "So, you were over here."

"That sucks for you, little girl. Seems like your other unit got wiped out!" Leone mocked, watching as Kurome stared at her older sister in shock. "And we've got more reinforcements coming soon. Your little 'Dark Squad' is finished. Do the smart thing and just surrender."

"They foresaw that we'd split up and predicted the routes we'd take...this is really bad. If we don't retreat now, we'll all be killed." Kurome thought as she clenched her teeth in frustration, glaring at the Night Raid assassins before her. Unsheathing Yatsufusa, Kurome growled and slammed her teigu into the ground as an eerie black aura radiated off her body. "Yatsufusa! Lend me your power!"

Immediately, the ground began to tremble as Kurome's undead puppets began to rise out of the earth. The puppets stood in front of Kurome and shielded her from the rebel's attacks. As Kurome's other puppets protected her, Run wrapped his arms around her and extended his black, angelic wings.

"Retreat!" Kurome yelled, lifting higher into the air as Run began to fly her away from the battlefield. "Everyone get out now!"

"Kurome! Tomorrow evening, let's meet one-on-one!" Akame exclaimed as she locked eyes with Kurome, watching her younger sister getting further and further away. "Outside the capital. I'll be waiting for you at 'you know where'!"

"..." Kurome said nothing for several moments, contemplating what Akame had just said. However, it didn't take long for Kurome to nod her head as Run began to soar away. "Okay! I'll see you tomorrow, sis!"

"Tomorrow night..." Akame thought as she watched Kurome disappear into the distance, just as rain began to pour down onto the area. Walking over, Leone returned to her normal form and stood next to Akame. Seeing the saddened look in Akame's eyes, Leone reached out and gently gripped her hand. "Tomorrow night, I'll finally settle things with Kurome."

And done! This entire chapter was basically just a huge setup for Akame's final battle against Kurome which we'll finally see happen next chapter. However, this time, we'll have the added twist of Esdeath being thrown into the mix. I'll be posting another chapter for this story before I move on to anything else. So, I hope you're all looking forward to that! Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING MY P ATREON, check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and feel free to PM me ideas you might have for my current stories. So until next time, I'm outta here!