Chapter 12: Strength
Capital
The survivors walked around- the capital- once a bustling metropolis even in its corruption, was now engulfed in flames, in shambles, and the civilians having been reduced to countless corpses.
"We just have to contact the other factions and rebuild. What happened to that bastard?," asked Najenda.
"The new girl's taking care of it," Leone said weakly as Lagie and Yomihime helped her to her feet as Najenda gave a conflicting look.
Wave paused as debris began to rumble, leading him to put down Kurome and Tatsumi.
From the debris, the remaining greyish-yellow mutant zombies emerged. They lunged quicker than Wave could react.
Poney kicked some of them away, rendering them immobile, but they were still outnumbered with Tatsumi unconscious, Najasho recovering, Leone burnt out, Yomihime/Lagi exhausted, and the others not being on the same level.
Najenda prepared for the worst.
"Launching Last Resort: Cadmus.," said Dr. Plain to Najenda's surprise.
Suddenly, from the underground, emerged a mechanical arm as Plain's eyes were obscured by his glasses.
"You told me to get rid of the Primus Imperator. You never said what to do afterward.," he explained as one by one, emerged compact pre-mutated versions of the once colossal Teigu.
Najenda went from shock to reluctant acceptance as the warriors proceeded to fire chest beams at the mutants, generate heat-seeking missiles to bombard the flying variants of the zombies and rip them with their bare hands.
"Who asked you?," she wondered.
"Free.," the doctor replied.
In the distance, the Lord glanced at Free, who remained stoic.
Najenda felt conflicted, relying on the power that they had overthrown recently to deal with the new threat.
Her thoughts then went to Murasaki- rather Akame.
Island
Murasaki generated ice wings to fly, but suddenly, she felt an intense pressure that caused her to be pinned down as if something was weighing her down.
"Avaritia- the power of the weight of one's sins. No matter, how pious or virtuous, all are inherently sinful. At least, that's what we were taught- I view it more of an alteration of gravity by applying negative energy.," Fiend said as he carefully kept his distance.
Between his hands, he charged a purple orb of energy that began to warp space.
Ira. Compared to Limbo and Luxuria, this is more of a move to end things quickly. I have no mention of dragging out with something that can thwart my freedom., the hellion thought before suddenly, the surrounding area turned dark blue for a mere 0.2 seconds.
He then felt an odd numbing sensation on his body as he felt several blows pierced him. The coloring turned normal as he was propelled backward, the Ira disengaged, now covered in slashes exposing his black blood that went it came into contact with the sand, altered it to volcanic rock. Murasaki had used Mahāpadma in a 0.2-second interval to catch him off-guard.
"Haeresis!," he declared as he pushed his hand forward as black threads emerged from his palm and entered her body.
She was paralyzed as the threads entered her nerves, keeping her from pushing on the assault.
"Vehemens."
He generated a torrent of black liquid from his mouth, which began to erode the environment with the droplets. However, Murasaki froze the strings and the torrent as she readied a downward slash.
"Fraus."
The attack phases through his form as she passes through his body as if it were like a ghost. She went to attack again, sensing it would work this time.
"Proditio."
She began to freeze as ice covered her...which was an error in judgment as half of her specialized in ice as she rammed into him. He spat out saliva as he skidded backward.
"Do you remember this island?," asked Murasaki in her dual voice, which Fiend scowled at.
"Yeah. You had hours to finish him off there and then. You had one job and you blew it. In any case, my zombies should be capable of-," Fiend replied as then paused.
Sol-Flor. You fuck., he thought.
"You have no aspirations. You're just tools for us to use and discard.," he said as he positioned his hands for a prayer sign as energy
"Hubris.," he declared as the space altered into a black space surrounding them. Chains rattled as the space revealed itself- a series of various weapons hung on chains surrounding them with the Kanji for Liberation on the orbs from which the chain originated with free-floating silver clouds comprised of condensed metals that exuded electricity ever so often and pillars of tormented faces twisting upwards. They were standing on a palm connected by chains to an iron maiden connected to a metallic warped version of a Wakoku-style heavenly priest with a skeletal visage.
"It's a manifestation of the inner psyche embodying the pure essence of an Evil Being, generating a barrier to keep outsiders from interfering. The user can then imbue the space with the innate techniques to land an automatic hit. You're just a test run before I get that brat now that he's-," Fiend noted.
"You're afraid of Tatsumi.," Murasaki observed in her dual voice, which threw off Fiend as he shook.
"Except for the black dolts, every Evil Being has reason to be. It's more that he's the current host of Tyrant that could reawaken its power.," Fiend remarked.
"We've already put it down to save him.," said Murasaki in Akame's voice.
"Don't assume it's enough to stop it...He's tougher than that.," Fiend replied as he released his hand sign and pointed forward as a volley of arrows flew at her. It generated Limbo flames, which she generated ice shields to block.
He took the opportunity to get behind her to wrap his tail around her neck and poised his ax on his elbow to decapitate her, but she used her momentum as she kicked to flip herself on his back to crush him. Fiend used his other ax as a cushion to stop from being crushed as she used the opportunity to slide out of the tail while dodging the barrage of arrows.
He's got battle experience. It seems centuries of being inside of a vase hasn't dulled them, and he's getting better as this goes on. We're half excited and half worried about that potential., thought Murasaki.
She then did a kick to send him flying as buzzsaws flew towards her, which she dodged quickly.
It seems as a tradeoff, he can't transform., she realized as she looked at the clouds, which began to glow. Lightning shot off in all directions as she generated an igloo to block the incoming strikes.
Berli
Underneath the capital, was a dark cavern that was dimly lit, home to the Evil Beings.
Elm sat down on a chair as Hanzo swung his katana.
"Dorina's in class now with her peers. I can't wait for the good news now that the Great One is back to full power.," he noted before seeing that Elm was in deep thought.
"What is it?," he asked.
Elm looked up and replied-
"I sense a presence has reawakened- the Sadistic Bane- Fiend. He's where we will set back up our kingdom. And he's off on a killing spree."
"Isn't that a good thing he's wiping out Humans? Who is Fiend anyway?," asked Hanzo.
"You're essentially a babe by Evil Being standards so I'll inform you. Fiend was a student who excelled in combat, but his morals were too heinous. He tried to kill fellow Evil Beings with the same relish as Humans. Honestly, he doesn't have the personal pride in villainy as an Evil Being like the rest of us- not interested in getting things back to the natural order or even setting up a tyranny to indulge in hedonism. He doesn't hate humans nor relish in their personal suffering specifically...he just sees them as things to play with to see how they are torn apart. Physically tormenting them, toying with their emotions to get a reaction, and even turn that on his fellows when he could get away with.," the tree monster explained.
"Isn't that the same as being sadistic?," asked Hanzo.
"Sadism without rationalization. There's no higher purpose in his actions such as proving the superiority of raw might or status. Like a child tearing apart toys to see if they can do it. And he simply does he kills just because he can. If left unchecked he'd do it to fellow Evil Beings. He on his birth, tried to test his powers by attempting to dislodge the stalagmites to see how many could survive. It was stopped and it almost seemed like an accident, but the cases of disappearing peers hinted that it was him all along. He got along with Sol-Flor as they have no personal loyalties to the race despite their usefulness.," Elm replied.
"So why isn't he around?," asked the former ninja.
Elm scratched the top of their head as they clarified-
"In the 500 mark of the Empire, Fiend was cornered, captured, and turned into a Teigu, replacing another in the process. The details are scarce, but it aligned with that tragedy...he must've been used to leak intel and wasn't freed...and he views the Incursio and the former user of Susanoo's bloodlines as responsible. The only ones he feels deserve his attention to make them suffer personally against his beliefs."
"Whoever is facing him is going to get the brunt of that malice. I wish I could get it.," said Suzuka as she appeared out of nowhere as she lustfully hugged herself.
What a deviant., thought Hanzo.
Fiend's Inner Space
Murasaki continued to dodge the strikes from the summoned drills, spears, swords, chainsaws, hammers, etc. while also dodging the lightning strikes. All at the same time, avoiding Fiend's axes, which were able to extend to attempt to cut her.
He then appeared behind her and did a dropkick combined with a downward tail slap to knock her down.
Murasaki then thought back to earlier as she generated snow to cushion her fall.
Unknown Space
Esdeath and Akame looked at the item- a clear vase with angelic wings with a six-pointed snowflake symbol in the center.
"It's the original Demon Extract. It was replaced by people who had good intentions, but things went horribly wrong.," Tsurarahime explained.
"So you're gonna take it and kick the butt of the bastard's who's causing havoc. The result of that mistake.," Rose added.
"My friends are in danger. Then-," Akame said before Rose shook her head.
"This is Deathless- the space between life and death where memories of what leads to the birth of one's life, how one lived, and what is the result of life's actions. You're currently two consciousnesses that share the same body and its limitations. Even if you leave now, you'd be too incapacitated by the curse to move without this.," the raven-haired woman explained.
"How one lived?," asked Akame before turning to Esdeath and grabbing her and the vase.
"Sorry, but I can't wait for you to change your mind. And personally, I'd still let you rot if it wasn't the case.," the girl said while Tsurarahime looked saddened but understood why.
Akame gritted her teeth as she yelled while feeling like it betrayed her personal beliefs-
"You ok with them having controlled your life from the shadows- not even fighting themselves or ruling themselves as the strong should? Aren't they weak? Are you just gonna let them just use you and let everything you fought for be nothing?"
"It can't be helped, the weak get used by the strong who have the authority to decide what's right and wrong.," Esdeath replied weakly.
"Why are you crying then? I didn't think you were capable of it.," Akame noted.
"What is the reason I'm crying then?," asked the blue-haired woman.
Akame shook her head.
"I don't know, but maybe it's the heart. And a sign that you're finally get it.," Akame replied. Esdeath then pushed her away.
Rose knocked Akame out, readying for what was to happen next as Tsurarahime braced herself.
Esdeath then grabbed her head. It was silent for a few moments before she started to scream-
"I AM THE STRONGEST! I TAKE WHAT I WANT! WHY DOESN'T HE SMILE AT ME?! IS IT DUE TO WHY DON'T PEOPLE JUST GET STRONGER RATHER THAN RELY ON OTHER PEOPLE TO MAKE UP FOR THEIR FAILINGS?! FORCING OTHERS TO DIE JUST TO LIVE IN IGNORANCE OF THE LOSS OF THE STRONGER ONES! WHY DO THE TOP PEOPLE I SELECTED DIE?! CAUSE THEY'RE WEAK! BUT THEY'RE BETTER THAN MOST PEOPLE! IT'S NOT LIKE I COULD'VE PREVENTED IT! IS IT KARMA?! THEN IT SHOULD ONLY TARGET WICKED PEOPLE LIKE ME AND THOSE NIGHT RAID BASTARDS SHOULDN'T ACT LIKE THEY DESERVE IT WHEN THEY'RE BETTER! WHY DO I CARE? I CAN JUST RULE AND NOT HAVE TO ABIDE BY WEAKLINGS JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE IN CHARGE I JUST NEED TO KILL! KILL! KILL! TILL I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT! AND THEN"
She then thought of herself as a conquering warmonger standing on the corpses of others, building fame, being superior to her enemies, and indulging in self-gratification. And she then realized...
She was the only one there.
She then felt a wave of screams but unlike before it really got to her as she screamed and cried.
She then saw a vision of Night Raid and her Jaegers having fun and tried to reach but it kept being out of reach as she was pulled into the dark.
I took what I wanted and lived how I wanted- not considering how it fell on the whims of others. It's not just about having people who are strong because the strong group together...it's being able to fight for them regardless of how they turn out-," she thought.
She was then grabbed by a shadowy version of her with a wide grin and downward crescent eyes.
"Luck wasn't on your side. Enough to the self-pity. You have a second chance. Don't be bogged down by guilt now. You're better than this.," the shadow said. Esdeath saw it as what others saw of her as- the evil of her heart that was always there...and kicked it away, causing it to snarl- turning it into a jagged maw-mouthed, red-eyed shadow attempting to devour her.
"If you're going to reject me after everything I've done. Then-," it said before suddenly.
Esdeath was then punched by Tsurarahime
"I see. Guess me not being around...turned you into such an entitled and whiny brat who doesn't know what right and wrong are!," Tsurarahime said coldly as she readied another punch to her surprise.
1 Hour Later...
Esdeath was very brushed as Akame woke up.
"You understand now. How to properly live?" Tsurarahime asked as Rose looked shocked at this surprising display of brutality.
Esdeath nodded as for the first time, she found someone she "feared" enough to straighten up her ways.
She then turned to Akame with an uncharacteristic expression of regret.
"I also confronted myself in my sleep. I'm just a killer who thought themselves better than everyone when I was being used by the same chess master just using a different name.," the red-eyed girl explained.
"I'm just alone and I have no one to blame but myself for being born into this fate.," Esdeath said.
"And it looks like things are going to go their way. Wanna stop them for their sake and ours?" Akame asked.
Esdeath then glanced to the side as she saw glimpses of her father, tribe, the Three Beasts, and the Jaegers.
Akame looked to her side to see the Elite Seven, Night Raid, the Group of Terror, Wakoku, and the people she met.
"I'm not fully committed to fully understanding morality, but I understand you now enough to know that this is a partnership...," Esdeath noted.
"Let's go.," Akame replied.
The two then melded into Murasaki. She then looked at her mothers.
The two hugged her back.
"S-stop so embarrassing.," Murasaki said in the dual voice of Akame and Esdeath.
She then pushed away as she proceeded to generate angelic snow wings and fell off.
Rose looked on as did Tsurarahime.
"When I finally got back, I was told that the tribe had long since died along with my daughter. Who died a sinner.," the blue-haired woman remarked.
"When I finally came to. I learned my girl and my sister's girl were being used by the Empire. And suffered due to it.," Rose noted.
As the space began to dissipate, Tsurarahime asked-
"Where do you think you'll go?"
Rose then looked to the right and said-
"Seeing my niece."
"That's nice. I wish I could be so selfless.," Tsurarahime noted.
The space vanished the two were now in their locations before entering, which were unknown at the moment.
Fiend's Hubris
Fiend combined his axes to make a guillotine to attempt to slice, but she pushed away in time.
She paused to his confusion.
She must be planning something., He thought as he changed his axes into sickles.
"You're finally free now. Don't you think it's good enough?," asked the woman in her dual voice, which left him confused. He first snickered which gave way to a hollering cackle.
"Gomonononononnonononon!," he laughed as he pressed his hand on his face.
"A sermon? That's not something a tool or barbarian would say. People like using wordplay to rationalize things to get others to what others do what they want or to justify their actions, but In order to alleviate any feelings of guilt resulting from wrongdoing, humans will make up all kinds of excuses to justify anything. Not me. Freedom isn't just being able to move. Freedom is just a natural right. Eat because you're hungry. Kill because you don't like others. Torture when you think it'll make something beautiful out of it. I kill without a second thought since I'm an Evil Being.," Fiend replied.
Murasaki remained silent.
"Don't tell me you actually listen to the buzzing of the dead? Course you don't I don't either. You and the chameleon dragon are tough, but soon you'll be killed and I'll move on and forget you.," Fiend explained as he rushed to slice her head.
Suddenly, she blocked the blades with the swords she generated.
"Half of us heard the same thing and ignored it. Resenting it and wanting them to join them. We thought it was just his way of trying to make excuses because he was too weak for the burden and we were above. But, that's not the case. The dead we've killed resent us, but they also want us to atone. We're going to pay for it. But dying is too easy a punishment. Living is an atonement, but since you don't seem to understand that.," she said as suddenly her eyes flashed red.
"It's clear you don't value life. So maybe this time, you'll understand how fragile it is.," she added with a smile, taking on a very Esdeath expression.
Fiend felt a sensation that paralyzed him as he was slashed. Everything went dark.
Unknown Location
Fiend awoke on a street in his base form, which looked very alien- tall buildings, iron carriages running on wheels without horses, people dressed in odd clothing, odd lanterns with changing lights that dictated when to move, shops, etc.
"Not sure where I am now. But that was weird. I must've been sent to another time.," he noted.
Free to do what I want-, he thought before a random mugger stabbed him as he picked up a wallet Fiend was somehow
"Like that is going to-," Fiend said as he suddenly fell down and felt intense agony as he writhed on the ground, flailing back and forth.
"What the Hell...?," he said before he fell unconscious.
He awoke again, this time tied on a chain hook over a water pit. The men overlooking him wore business suits with some having glasses. The mafia of an unknown country.
"Seems like you're not willing to talk.," the don- a stout man said as he snapped his fingers.
The chain lowered as the water bubbled, crocodiles left out as Fiend gritted his teeth.
"I see this is an illusion. But I can break out of these chains! Gula Form!,' the demon shouted as he shook around and attempted to break free, but it never came to pass.
"What the fuck is he say? He must be suffering from some Chūnibyō syndrome?," said one of the men.
"Don't you mean Don Quixote?," asked another.
"Who cares about his delus-," he said as the crocodiles began to chomp on Fiend's flesh.
Fiend awoke again as he was being dissected on a stone table by priests of a certain religion.
"Get off of me! You naked apes!," he shouted, but he wasn't able say anything as his heart was being removed and he was being wrapped.
He then awoke only to be run over. He awoke only to be mauled by a lion in a colosseum. He awoke only to be shot by a raygun. The awakenings became blurred as he suffered increasingly nightmarish deaths of torture. Unable to do anything.
After what seemed to be an eternity, he panted and his eyes darted around as he walked through a suburb of a far-off seeming future.
How many deaths must I die?! What'll happen to me next?! How much longer will I have to wait for the end?!, He thought before seeing a little girl.
"Chance!," he thought as he followed her, only her to lead him to a group of men in white hoods as they started to club him to death. He awoke again to see a soldier readied to gun him down in the middle of a war zone.
"Stayy back! Look the other way! D-Don't come closer! STAY AWAY! LEAVE ME ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!," he screamed.
He then saw a thread in the sky as he laughed madly.
Fiend's Hubris
"Gomonnononononononon. My liberation!," he shouted as he grabbed it and pulled himself out of it. Back to his space that was now spazzing out, looking at Murasaki with his transformation disabled.
"Sañjīva: Kandata Thread.," she said as the thread tied around his neck, tightening like a hanging noose.
"We're not sure, but this technique is for those who commit acts of violence and murder with the intent of killing living beings out of a desire to destroy their source of life. They revived to suffer for the suffering they caused till their karma has been fulfilled. You've had 1000 years of karma built up and now this thread will cause you to be reborn.," she said.
"You cast judgment on me. When your boss' ancestor did that using my intel?," asked Fiend.
Murasaki paused.
"You can get the details from Sol-Flor, but it's very pot calling the kettle black for your side to claim they act in the happiness of the people!" Fiend shouted as he went into his Gula form and activated Ira only for the wrapping to cocoon him completely.
"I-I'm sorry. I'll go back into you. P-please don't do this! S-somebody help!," he begged.
"Strength comes in many forms, but it shouldn't contradict itself. You stand alone yet you in the end have to rely on others for your existence. Yours is a false strength. And we don't have time for weaklings like you. And you should've known by now, a fight with Teigu always leads almost always to one side dying.," said Murasaki as the cocoon compressed into nothing.
The space disappeared as Murasaki looked on. There was a certain nostalgia with this power that had inside her, but now things were different.
She flew away back to the Capital.
Next Chapter: Devil Near You- As Murasaki dealt with Fiend, Free reveals his true colors.
Author Notes: While it's unclear if canon!Esdeath would ever come to the realization that her own actions caused her fall, the crux of this chapter is Esdeath realizing her strength was false and coming to understand true power.
Esdeath's Trump Card of Time-Stopping- Mahāpadma relates to the 8th circle of the Cold hell in Buddhism. So Murasaki's techniques are an improvement with a focus on the Hot and Cold Hell techniques.
Fiend's techniques are based on Dante's Inferno- Nine Circles of Hell. Serving as a foil to the technique.
Fiend's death scenario plays out like Diavolo's infinite death loop but has a finite limit in comparison.
The Cadmus is named after a Greek Myth where a serpent's teeth was planted into the ground as warriors sprouted out. This is the inspiration for the robot soldiers born from taking apart the Emperor's Teigu.