Here is the thirty-first chapter in this story released when I wanted it to be released based of my release process for this series. Even with his whip spell, Patry can't keep the Black Bulls down and now they're kicking it up a gear to surpass their limits and take the fight to the Eye of the Midnight Sun as the four on four battle enters its next stage. That is all that I have for the administrative stuff I have for y'all and there are no guest reviews that need a response, though I thank you for your support of my work, or questions to answer so I will end this here. Do keep them coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate. That is it for this pre-chapter note so it is time to sit back and enjoy the thirty-first chapter in Akame ga Clover.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these two great animes.

Chapter 31: Victories

"Keep up with the focus you showed there and you'll start sensing ki in nature as well." Yami said with a laugh as Tatsumi and Akame hurried over to join their Captain and Asta now that they were free from the rocks that the Light Mage had dropped on them with his whip attack. "The rest of us can so now we won't have to worry about falling rocks hitting you in the head."

"This is awesome!" Asta yelled with a grin as he raised his swords to the sky. "I love ki!"

"It's a useful skill to have." Tatsumi said though as he was still in Incursio he didn't pat Asta on the back. "And for you Asta it will really boost your strength now that you can sense attacks coming so combined with that Anti-Magic of yours and you're going to be a real powerhouse someday if you keep growing at the rate you're growing. Still annoyed you got the hang of it so quickly though."

"Plus it will aid your swordsmanship." Akame added as Valtos got up and the quartet they were facing either glared or frowned at the Black Bulls who were refusing to go down. "Now you are one step closer to sparing with me. A little more training with Tatsumi then we'll see how you do with a katana."

"Master, let us teach these arrogant fools a lesson." Valtos said to Licht. "They continue to dare to defy you."

"My sister is mine." Kurome said. "I don't care who you are, I will cut you down if you get in my way. Otherwise you lot can do whatever you want as far as I'm concerned."

"Fine by me, I must serve absolute justice to Tatsumi." Seryu said. "He's defied it for too long."

"Alright, it's time to kick this fight up a notch." Yami said with a grin as he pointed his katana at the four enemies they were facing. "The white haired guy with the weird dots on his face is going down now."

"Wait what?" Asta asked with a yell as Akame shifted into a sideways attack stance facing Kurome with her katana up and ready while Tatsumi just stood there still in his armor ready to fight and it all hit Asta in that moment. "You know, now that I understand ki I feel like I could take him. Yeah, with power of ki and my squadmates by my side there's nothing I can't do so you ready Dotty Face? Time to get beat down and make you pay for what you did to Captain Fuegoleon."

"Whoa hold off there." Yami said interrupting Asta as he began to laugh to kick him away. "The dotty faced guy is mine, he's too strong for you at the moment so if you want to see what I can really do just watch me face him."

"Hey, that's not fair, I'm all psyched up to fight the scary boss dude." Asta yelled from the ground. "I was going to beat him and everything."

"You're not ready for the boss." Akame said simply but not impolitely. "Only the Captain can take him now that he's not holding back."

"Plus I don't care what you want, the guy's mine." Yami said. "If you want to help then you can take his ride, Skinnybones Lineface, that's who you can handle. Akame, deal with your sister, Tatsumi, shut that psycho chick up and given the situation lethal force is authorized, not that you'd hold back anyway. Alright you got your targets and I have mine, this will be fun, been a while since I had a fight that could force me to surpass my limits."

As Yami spoke he grinned and black tendrils of magic flowed off him and his blade before he suddenly leapt off the ground with enough force to crack it and at the Light Mage. Patry was forced to move back and evade as Yami kicked it up a gear and truly brought his power to bear against a foe who'd earned it.

A second later Akame pushed off and at Kurome who responded in kind with her own katana out and to the side so that the sisters clashed with a clang of metal on metal in midair as they brought their blades to bear. The katanas locked up and sparked as wind blasted from around them thanks to the force of the impact and they fell to the ground still locked as the duel of Dark and Light Magic intensified behind Kurome.

Only once they were on the ground did they break apart with Akame leaping back and to the side to put more distance between their fight and Yami's so as to not get in her Captain's way and forcing Kurome to follow her as they once more resumed their duel.

"Focus on your task at hand Asta." Tatsumi said as he tensed to leap to the side and shift Seryu's attention in that direction. "Use ki to sense what is going on but beat your opponent and fast. I have a feeling you will be needed to back me up soon."

"You won't get away from absolute justice!" Seryu roared as her grimoire flipped to a page and she held her hand out to the side a sadistic grin on her face though she didn't move from where she was near Valtos. "I must execute you now for your crimes and as you continue to defy me I have to use this spell. Armament Creation Magic: Hekatonkheires."

"Oh shit." Tatsumi said as a white blob formed to Seryu's before it began to morph. "This isn't good. I knew that she'd have this spell. Given the other spells we all have it was a given."

"Er what do…" Asta began before the blob formed into a small white, bipedal, dog thing with black eyes, ears, and a nose that landed on the ground with a slight squeak. "Wait, it's a cute dog? How's that bad?"

"Just watch." Tatsumi said as he tensed. "And defeat the Spatial Mage quickly Asta, I'm definitely going to need your help with this one."

"Ok but…" Asta began before Seryu gave an order.

"Koro, bulk up." Seryu said her sadistic grin getting wider now that she was using her best spell. "I'm so happy that he's back with me even if it is magic."

Asta could only watch with a mix of horror and revulsion as the dog thing, Koro as it had been called, grew to a massive size, it's arms shooting out in wet membranes to form long, muscular, human ones that ended in fists and its mouth widen in a snarl to show rows of sharp, pointy teeth. This wasn't good and based off what had been said Asta had a feeling that this was the Imperial Arms thing that Seryu had had before she died in her past life, which given Tatsumi's reaction all but confirmed it.

"Asta, deal with Lineface, now!" Tatsumi yelled as he leapt back and to the side and rushed to where his sword was, he wasn't sure he could resummon his spear just yet or not so he went for the safe bet. "I'll hold out as long as I can but that thing is not going to be easy to face. The only saving grace is that it has to use up a shit ton of magic power so between that and earlier that's all Seryu can do right now."

Tatsumi wasn't wrong, Seryu had had to make sure she had enough magic for this spell during her fight with Tatsumi before Master Licht used that lovely punishment whip, which she'd managed to do. She even had enough to use Koro's berserk mode but that was it, she could only really stand there and give orders to her friend. Thankfully that was the moment that Valtos decided to challenge Asta and Asta himself understood what Tatsumi wanted and rushed the Spatial Mage.

"Get him Koro." Seryu commanded and with a howl Koro charged to intercept Tatsumi.

"Armor Creation Magic: Indomitable Shield." Tatsumi called out as he ran for his sword, a massive shield forming between him and Koro. "Hurry Asta, I know you can do it!"

As Koro punched the shield with enough force to buckle it and drive it back several feet Tatsumi put his faith in Asta and Asta's new ability to read ki as he reached his sword and picked it up turning to face Koro. He still had Incursio on and his magic had adapted well to Seryu's but Koro was clearly her best spell and while his shield slowed it, it didn't stop the beast who growled as it removed its fist from the crumpled metal and grabbed the edges of the shield before tossing it to the side and resuming its charge.

Tatsumi was ready though and while Koro had strength on its side, he had agility and he fully intended to use it as his own duel began. He'd never actually faced Koro in his old life, Mine had been the one to deal with it, but it had killed Sheele so he was going to get some revenge for that now.

That was all that Tatsumi could think of though as Koro was on Tatsumi in seconds but he had already leapt up and back from the swiping paw slashing at it with his sword in the process so that he took off three fingers as he evaded it though he did note that blood briefly spurted from the severed fingers. That didn't last as the fingers quickly regrew but he sensed a flare of frustration in Seryu's ki which showed that while Koro could regenerate, and as he was now a spell not an Imperial Arms he likely didn't have a core that had to be destroyed in order to end him, the limit to Koro was Seryu's magic.

Tatsumi was sure that just creating him and then bulking him up like this was draining for Seryu, even more if she had her trump card as an alteration spell as well, so regrowing severed limbs or healing wounds would no doubt drain Seryu's magic even more. Adding in Seryu's mental instability and habit of going all out with over the top attacks to kill her opponents quickly and Tatsumi was sure that her magic reserves were going to drain. All that gave him an idea and he grinned in his helm as he landed on the ground and pushed off it at Koro, shields forming in the air around him as he took the fight to the beast.

All Tatsumi needed to do was survive until Asta defeated the Spatial Mage, which he kept an eye on by reading Asta's ki, and even with Koro's strength he could do that while adding to what Seryu was going through but slicing and dicing Koro as much as possible. True his own magic was getting dangerously low, he had had Incursio on for a while and using Innocents' Protect earlier had cost a lot as well, but he could manage it so long as he surpassed his limits and Tatsumi fully intended to do that as Koro swiped at him only to be blocked by several shields that dented on impact before Koro pushed on them as he was briefly held up.

The shields wouldn't hold for long but that was fine with Tatsumi as he didn't need them to, he just delay so that with a quick spin he could sever Koro's arm mid forearm, which he did with ease. Again there was blood for some reason, Tatsumi didn't understand that, but it was gone quickly as the wound sealed before the arm began to regrow.

Koro wasn't done though, he ignored the severed limb and brought his other fist down in a hammer fist but shields appeared to intercept again, which also made them stronger as they adapted to the magic that made Koro, and allowed Tatsumi to step forward and slice Koro's other arm off at the elbow as he closed. Tatsumi then finished with a wide slash that opened Koro's belly up but his sword wasn't long enough to bisect the creature before leaping back as the regrown arm came in for another attack.

That exchange set the tone for the battle as Tatsumi and Koro fell into a dance of sorts where Tatsumi either dodged or blocked the aggressive attacks from Koro while countering or going on the offensive when he could to inflict damage to the creature. That damage always caused blood to spray from the wound before it was regrown but it had to be doing something to Seryu as he was sure that her magic was nearing the end, something that Tatsumi was certain of when Koro's wounds started to take longer to heal the more he inflicted them, so he kept it up.

Tatsumi was right, not that Seryu would admit it, because he'd now ensured that she didn't have the magic she needed to activate berserk mode. At the same time, however, Tatsumi was running low on magic himself and had to stop creating shields and focused more on dodging as he put all his magic into keeping Incursio up so that he could maximize its usage above all else. Seryu noticed this as well though when Tatsumi started to focus on evasion not creating shields to block attacks.

"This is it Koro!" Seryu shouted her focus now solely on Tatsumi so she didn't notice that Valtos was cackling near her about Asta throwing away his only weapons and how he'd end the brat in a single blow. "Tatsumi's magic is low, he's not making the shields anymore. Press him and rip him limb from limb! We will get our justice for all those he's murdered!"

"The bitch may be insane but she's got a keen battle eye." Tatsumi said as he evaded the latest attack while Koro responded to Seryu's order and pressed Tatsumi even more. "Asta, how's…oh ok good."

Before Tatsumi could finish Asta had leapt through one of Valtos's portals and proceeded to punch him squarely in the face hard enough to knock him out and send him flying to bounce off the floor of the cavern a few times before slamming into one of the walls with a crash. As he did Asta hit the ground, he'd taken another hit in his exchange with Valtos, and rolled a bit but otherwise he was ok and Yami let out a laugh at that as he turned from his fight with the Light Mage to respond to Asta being the first to defeat one of the four enemies.

"That was how you did it? You punched him in the face?" Yami asked as laughed. "That's a funny way to win it but whatever, it works and you did it with ki, not bad. Now go and help Tatsumi out, he needs it."

As Yami finished speaking Patry appeared behind him while Asta rose with an affirmative yell and rushed for his swords to assist Tatsumi. Patry had used this to get close and behind Yami as he believed that Yami's guard was down but that had been what Yami had wanted Patry to believe as the light whip spell missed. Instead, it was sucked into Yami's Black Hole spell and because of the nature of it the Dark Magic took over the Light Magic which in turn froze Patry in place in the air as he held the whip a look of shock on his face at how he'd fallen into the trap Yami had laid for him.

Yami then went from Black Hole to Dark Cloaked Black Blade as he raised his katana above his head and the Dark Magic formed on it before he slashed down and sent the spell at the immobilized Light Mage, slicing him in the right side of the chest from shoulder to just below his ribs. It wasn't a killing blow but it was a serious wound, the most serious Patry had taken all fight, and with all else going on he'd take too long to heal it before Yami could actually kill him. It had been seriously impressive and as the other fights also drew to an end Patry took the moment to exchange words with Yami about things.

Naturally Asta saw none of this as he'd gotten up at Yami's words and rushed to Tatsumi's aid. He only had time to grab his great sword as that was nearer due to where he'd thrown the weapons but he did and with a roar he leapt up and at the beastly dog thing's back.

"Stay away from my friend!" Asta roared as he slashed the dog in the back.

"Ha that won't…no Koro!" Seryu said her eyes going wide as the slash didn't just open up a wound in Koro's back, it fully dispelled him, the magic she used to make him nullified the moment that Asta's sword made contact and she was now practically out of mana so couldn't fight. "You monster! You evil fiend! How dare you stop me for enacting righteous, absolute, justice!"

"Ignore her delusions, go and help Akame." Tatsumi said as he pushed off the ground the moment that Asta slashed Koro so that he passed under his teammate as Koro vanished and at Seryu with the last of his magic going into keeping Incursio active so that he'd be on Seryu in moments. "Time to die for a second time Seryu only this time I'll get justice for Sheele."

"On it but try not to kill her, she needs to pay for her crimes." Asta said as he landed and looked over to where Akame was, she and her sister had been forced apart a fair bit and Akame's grimoire was now glowing brightly and flipping to a new page. "Or at least tell us more about this group."

"Stay back villain!" Seryu yelled as she leapt back but Tatsumi was already on her. "No…Ah!"

As Tatsumi had reached Seryu he'd slashed his sword across his body in a horizontal strike that thanks to being slightly above Seryu due to his leap would have taken her head from her shoulders. However, at the last second Seryu had used a portion of her remaining mana to reinforce her calves and push herself backwards, leaning back as she did and raising her arms so that Tatsumi's sword, razor sharp thanks to Akame, sliced through her arms midway between her elbows and shoulders thus dismembering her just as Sheele had done in their old lives.

Seryu let out a bloodcurdling scream of pain as her arms were lost, again, and blood fountained up from the stumps and into the air as she hit the ground on her back and slid over it. However, she had an absurdly high pain tolerance and pushed through it so that with the last of her magic she managed to staunch the wounds with two metal pads that bound themselves tightly over them to save her life but as she came to a stop on her back she passed out from blood loss.

For his part Tatsumi just landed on the ground and slashed his sword to clear it of blood as he looked at Seryu on the ground, head to the side and stumps for arms and blood all around her but her chest rose and fell slowly. She was out cold and that was enough for Tatsumi. He could kill her if he wanted to, the Wizard King wouldn't oppose a field execution of someone like Seryu, but he was no longer an assassin who had to kill his targets, now he worked for a man who was within the system and trying to make it better so he didn't have to kill if he didn't want to and he was no sadist, he didn't enjoy killing.

As such he left Seryu alive to pay for her crimes and to be pumped for information about the Eye of the Midnight Sun. All of the enemies here would be and Tatsumi noted that as he turned from Seryu in time to see an interesting ending to Akame's duel.

That was because while everything else had been going on, Akame and Kurome's duel had been mundane by comparison. The sisters were pretty evenly matched and once again they were in a prolonged, drawn out, sword fight that was only adding to their minor injuries as they exchanged blows that filled the cavern with the ringing clangs of steel on steel that sparked every time their katanas clashed with each other.

Akame knew that she needed an advantage and as Asta punched Valtos to knock him out she and Kurome locked up again only this time Akame channeled a lot more mana than normal into her biceps to reinforce them so that she could push through Kurome's block and toss her back. As she did she sensed the Captain's ranged slice spell and she really wished she had something like that.

For as good as Akame's magic was, and it was good because it was highly offensive and really fit her combat style, there was one thing she was missing in her arsenal. Even with her large mana pool, and until Kurome had shown up the apparent uniqueness of her attribute, there had always been something lacking to it, something she'd really noted when she'd tried to kill Yami which came back to her now that she was in a prolonged duel with Kurome, Akame lacked a projectile slash spell.

That was the one thing she'd been envious of her Captain for, his ability to project his magic via his katana in a wide, offensive slash. In fact that had been what had beaten her in the end when she tried to kill him, but Akame couldn't do that with her katana and after seeing what Blade Magic could be as a projectile slash when Asta had used it against the mud monster she really needed on.

It would be useful and with her current injuries she was sure that without it she couldn't beat her sister so she was in a bind as she held her katana to her side as Kurome landed and slid over the ground on her feet. However, this was the perfect time to push past her limits as Yami would say and achieve something knew and she focused on that, on the need to win and take Kurome down, on something that would manage than because otherwise she might die.

It was as this was happening, and Asta was dealing with Kuro, that Akame felt it. Her magic surged and her grimoire glowed before flipping to a new, blank page in it as she pushed past her limits to beat her sister. With a glance Akame saw the spell she'd just learned fill the page and a grim smile came to her face. This was just what she needed.

"Kurome, please, surrender." Akame said as she twisted Murasame in her hands so that it was pointing diagonally down and at the ground to her side before she activated her new spell which caused the steel of her katana to flash as if illuminated. "I've got this now."

"I won't lose to you big sis, it's either with me or we're enemies again!" Kurome yelled as she leapt off the ground. "What will it be Akame!"

"You leave me no choice." Akame said with a sigh as she brought up her blade in a diagonal slash from hip to shoulder and shouted out her new spell while Kurome charged at her. "Blade Magic: Scimitar Slice!"

As Akame finished a curved slash of razor sharp Blade Magic was projected from Murasame tore across the cavern at Kurome. The spell, Scimitar Slice, allowed Akame to imbue any bladed weapon that was in her hands be it forged from steel or made by magic, with her Blade Magic that she could then slice through the air and project her magic from it in a curved blade of sorts at her opponent. It was just the spell she needed and right when she needed it but such was the nature of magic especially when you were surpassing your limits.

Kurome saw the slash coming and came up short with a curse as she got Yatsufusa up to intercept the attack as best she could, her katana flashing as she did. Akame had once again shown her that she was the stronger sister but Kurome wouldn't let her sister kill her again and while she knew she'd be hit she made sure to get her blade up enough to intercept the attack so that she protected her heart.

That was all that Kurome managed though as she blocked the attack with a clang and cut through it at heart level with a yell. However, the rest of the slice got through and took out a deep cut in the top of her left shoulder and through her right abdomen causing her to let out a grunt of pain and fall to a knee as she held Yatsufusa in her left hand and place her right over the deep wound she'd taken to try and staunch it but in moments her hand was red and wet with her own blood.

The one good thing was that Kurome could tell that it wasn't immediately fatal but it wasn't good and had turned the tides as Akame charged at her tears in her eyes. Well, she'd blocked the initial attack which gave her this chance to block the next on as she raised Yatsufusa to intercept Murasame.

"I'm sorry Kurome, I didn't want this for us this time." Akame said as she leapt at her sister and raised Murasame above her head in a two handed grip. "Please, forgive…"

"No!"

The yell came from Asta as he'd seen what was coming after Akame had used her new spell and had charged in to stop it. He couldn't let his friend and squadmate kill her sister for a second time, especially after they'd been reunited in their new life and not when there was a chance this time to save her. True Kurome would have to pay for her crimes as part of the Eye of the Midnight Sun but that could be used to reconcile the girls and that was why Asta had acted and intervened with his yell.

That wasn't the only thing he did though, he'd leapt as well using ki to know where Akame would be so that he could intercept her and shoulder charge her in the air and use his greater physical strength to send her sideways as his own momentum was halted by the collision so that he was able to land on the ground in front of a shocked looking Kurome. For her part Akame was equally shocked as she flipped in the air to recover from Asta's intervention and landed on the ground in a crouch as she slid over it, Murasame up and to the right in her hand and left hand on the ground as she stared at Asta.

"Asta!" Akame yelled. "What the hell! What was that…"

"I won't let you kill your sister, not again." Asta said forcefully not looking at Akame as he walked towards Kurome his great sword in both hands. "You're better than that Akame, you aren't the same as last time, you don't have to do this. I'm sorry for intervening in your fight but I can knock her out without killing her. We'll take her in alive, there may be a way to get those stones out of her and she can be healed from whatever she's dealing with. She'll have to pay for her crimes but she can live and you can heal your relationship. Siblings should love each other, not kill each other."

"Asta…" Akame began but Asta already raised his sword as he got into position over a wounded Kurome.

"You can't stop the inevitable, brat." Kurome spat out, blood coming up as she did but she pushed through it to keep Yatsufusa raised for the block as her arm glowed with Reinforcement Magic to add to the block as the great sword was clearly heavier than her katana. "I'll…"

"I can because I'm going to be the Wizard King!" Asta roared as he brought he sword down.

The moment that the great sword's edge made contact with Yatsufusa the katana burst apart as the magic used to create it was nullified. Kurome didn't even have a chance to note that though as the sword slammed into her left shoulder with a sickening crack and Asta drove her into the ground, cratering it slightly, as he did and kicking up dust around them. When he was done and the dust settled Kurome was in the crater on her side unconscious but alive as blood pooled around her.

"You don't have to end things like before." Asta said as he panted slightly before looked around. "But, er, does anyone know first aid?"

Tatsumi was already running over to help and as he did Incursio fell from him as he was now out of magic but he was there in moments. He did know basic first aid, one of the many skills he'd learned in both of his lives and while Akame knew it as well she was in shock at what had happened as she fell to her knees, katana still in hand, looking at what Asta had done, what Asta had saved her from doing.

He'd done what she couldn't, shown Kurome mercy when she needed it and so long as they survived against the Light Mage as well they had a chance, especially because Tatsumi was using the shreds of Kurome's shirt, she at least was wearing a bra, to staunch and bind the wound in her side so as to stabilize her. Of course the Light Mage remained and as Tatsumi worked he showed that he was still able to fight.

All this while, Patry had been chatting with Yami and even admitted to the Captain of the Black Bulls that Yami had the power to defeat him, the second he'd met who had that power, but it was time to end it. Thankfully Yami prolonged things by asking who the other one was, which Patry admitted that it was the Wizard King, Julius Novachrono, who had it and had wounded Patry's hand so bad it might never recover. He was Patry's greatest foe.

However, now all that was over and all of Patry's allies were down so it was time to use his most powerful spell in the battle so far, one that was too swift to evade and too powerful and extensive for Yami to use Black Hole on. Patry noted all of this as Kurome was being tended to and the bright light illuminated the cavern as he prepared to end these Black Bulls once and for all.

"Akame, Asta, focus on the massive light right now." Tatsumi said as he worked. "Captain, I'm out of magic, I can't block this though given the magic coming off that spell I'm not sure I could block it even if I had my magic."

"There's no chance that that will beat Captain Yami, he's underestimating him again." Asta yelled as Akame finally got up and came over to join them and look at her sister while Tatsumi worked on her. "You're nothing special Dotty Face."

"Nah, without Tatsumi's magic as a buffer at least this could be pretty bad, that was our best defense and if he's out then we're not in a good place." Yami noted as Asta continued his support for Yami while he too fell back so that he could cover his Squad, they'd all fought well and surpassed their limits so the least he could do was protect them and try to match their intensity with his own, he was their Captain after all they couldn't show him up even when they made him proud. "That magic is nasty; he's got some more tricks up his sleeve. I had hoped that that wound would be enough, shame."

"This is for all of you, you will be punished for what you did to Valtos, Seryu, and Kurome." Patry said using his vast mana reserves to quickly get Kurome clear and lay her next to Seryu before returning to his position and the still growing spell as Tatsumi blinked over the now empty and blood filled crater, it seemed that while the Light Mage could only use one spell at a time he still had the benefits of his Light Magic for other things. "I'll kill you all and take back that grimoire from the brat as it doesn't belong to him."

"How bad is this Captain?" Akame asked as she raised Murasame in a defensive stand while Tatsumi rose to hid full height with his sword in hand as the Light Mage rose into the air glowing brightly as he did. "I'm not really geared towards defense and I can't cut through something that big."

"He's got a four leaf grimoire so he's got some seriously strong magic." Yami noted. "So unless any of us can surprise him, which is unlikely given how you're beat to shit, Tatsumi's out of magic and Asta's not strong enough yet, he can still dodge us. So, what are we going to do? Meh, that's a future Yami problem."

"Not helpful Captain." Akame pointed out.

"The wait is at long last over; you've put up a good fight but the end is upon you." Patry said as Yami's grimoire flipped to a new page. "Goodbye Captain of the Black Bulls, you were a worthy advisory."

"Dark Magic: Black Cocoon." Yami said and suddenly a sphere of Dark Magic formed around them in a roiling, opened topped, barrier of sorts.

"Captain, what is this spell?" Asta asked looking around it as Akame, Tatsumi, and Asta all held their swords and braced themselves.

"Went into defense mode though it's not as good as Tatsumi's is so as to buy us some time." Yami said. "Probably still going to die though."

"Honestly even with my magic tasting and adapting to the Light Mage's I doubt even my Indomitable Shield could have withstood the spell that bastard is about to use." Tatsumi pointed out. "It seems even stronger than the one he used before."

"Well at least we're together this time." Akame said taking Tatsumi's hand in hers and interlocking their fingers to which Tatsumi gave her a reassuring squeeze though their free hands kept ahold of their swords. "As it should be."

"Come on, do we just have to accept this?" Asta yelled looking around. "We can't die, I'm going to knock that spell right back at him."

"Doubt it, it's too wide so if you try all that will be left of you is that sword." Yami noted. "This is a wide ranged spell with the speed of Light Magic, it's not going to be easy to defend against."

"Come on Captain there has to be something that we can do?" Asta said. "Akame, Tatsumi, any ideas?"

"We could try not giving up." Yami noted.

"Or not dying." Tatsumi said.

"Maybe last minute dodging." Akame added.

"All good ideas." Asta said as Yami took his cigarette out of his mouth and exhaled.

"We're in trouble, the Light Mage has us cornered and we've got nothing we can really do." Yami noted. "So grit your teeth and dig in your heels guys, that's all we've got."

"Take your last breath, Yami Sukehiro." Patry said with a smile, the others weren't worth being named though the girl had shown him a humility he needed and he was so focused on what was going on that he didn't realize the new arrivals though the quartet he was about to blast to hell did having sensed the ki that suddenly arrived as the massive ball of light formed over Patry's head. "Engaging Light Magic: Ray of Divine Punishment."

"We're dead." Yami said as the blast of powerful Light Magic shot at them.

"Yup." Akame said. "Unless…"

"A Mirror Mage conveniently shows up just in time to save our collective asses." Tatsumi said with a grin as Gauche suddenly appeared before the Black Cocoon having been brough to the cavern by Finral and then using his own magic to get in front of them and lifting his hair to use his magic tool and the magic his sister and the kids had given him for just this boost so that he could come back and save his squadmates. "Knew he'd be back."

"Go Mirror Magic: Full Reflection!"

The spell that Gauche used created a massive mirror right in front of him and just before the Light Magic would hit him. Light Magic was strong and fast and had only one true weakness in Dark Magic but there was one other thing about it that could be used to turn it on a wielder, Mirror Magic.

Mirror always reflected Light and this was no different as the powerful spell was reflected back and into the floating and stunned Patry before he could react to it, or do more than look surprised that the Mirror Mage had returned, as the force of his spell passed over him blew another hole out of the cavern before sending the rest of spell high into the morning sky as the other Black Bulls looked on in amazement. There was no way that the Light Mage could have avoided that and even if he survived, which was likely, there was no way he could continue to fight.

"Your magic is fast and powerful, that is true." Gauche said as blood ran down the left side of his face and he panted from the spell he'd used. "But Mirror reflects Light, clearly you forgot that you bastard."

With that Patry's near unconscious and badly wounded body hit the ground and the last of the four was down for the count. With that the Black Bulls had won the day, all that was needed was to restrain the defeated members of the Eye of the Midnight Sun and wait for Headquarters to get here to take them away as Finral was out of magic, or complain to Finral until his magic recovered whichever came first.

Alas at that very moment the last resort plan that Patry had to get him out of the predicament that he was now in was activated and three powerful individuals prepared to come to his aid before their boss could be hauled off to prison thus ending their grand plan before it could be enacted. It was time for the Third Eye to make its move.

I think that's a good place to end the chapter on as we continue to move through this arc and enter the next stage of it. So far the Black Bulls have done well, won their battles, and now have 4 new prisoners which could give Akame the chance to reconcile with Kurome. Of course there is the issue of them not being able to leave just yet so anything could happen as the back and forth battle between the Black Bulls and the Eye of the Midnight Sun continues. That is all that I have for this chapter, however, so I will leave it off here. If you like my story then please follow, favorite, review, PM, etc. it is all appreciated and helps me get better and stay motivated to keep producing more content and any questions asked I will do my best to answer both privately and at the start of the next chapter. Until next time.

Stringdog