Chapter 13: Devil Near You
Capital Outskirts
Murasaki looked at the sky over the Capital, the clouds swirling in an eerie pattern that mirrored the chaos below. The air had the smell of blood and the faint scent of burning buildings. The once bustling streets of the capital were now silent, littered with the remnants of battle caused by Fiend. Her eyes searched the horizon for any sign of her comrades, but she saw only shadows dancing in the flickering light of distant fires.
She thought about what Fiend had mentioned about how he became Demon's Extract's replacement. While he was a devil, some of the words he said seemed eerily truthful. Something felt ominous was about to happen but she couldn't falter.
We have to get there as soon as possible. That man., she thought as she zoomed at high speeds.
Capital
The Lord turned to Free. He looked pensive, thinking about his vision, hoping that the worst wasn't going to happen. The Cadmus soldiers had been helpful, but it seemed convenient and worrying that they only appeared after things had gotten bad enough to use them. And more importantly, why they had preemptively made at all without informing his colleagues, let alone him.
Free was oddly silent, which made him even more worried.
"Tch. I thought I could at least get rid of them both.," he said as The Lord reached out to pat his shoulder.
"The Cadmus soldiers are very efficient.," The Lord mentioned as he looked at the armored warriors.
"Quite right.," replied Free, but he felt like The Lord was dodging the reason why.
"Are those mutants the only things that can handle?," The pale-haired man asked as he hesitated from moving closer.
"Say Hesus. Why did you allow Bolic to boss you around?," asked Free, which caused The Lord's eyes to widen.
"I never brought up my name.," The Lord stated.
"I read it in the news about your promotion to leader.," Free replied, but The Lord was suspicious.
"Now, back on the topic. You can see the future- you must be aware of how things will turn out? Like a hedonist defying your religion?" Free asked as the air turned ominous.
"Fate will find a way to make things easier-," The Lord said before Free aggressively pinned him against a wall.
"It'd be one thing if you were a mere human, but you're half-Danger Beast- a Hybrid. That means obligations.," the gray-haired man said as The Lord noticed his form was slowly getting larger.
The Lord grimaced.
"It's because of our power, we are obligated to help those who can't help themselves.," the pale-haired man replied before his head was thwacked 360 degrees backward. Due to his Danger Beast traits, he was able to heal and snap his head back.
"You're...," The Lord noted as Free's face began to "open" like flower petals.
"Wrong. We're born better than the livestock and superior to our predecessors. You're just like that neat freak. Glad he's dead. As will you be soon as I hit you so hard that you can't do a miraculous recovery. So anyway, the reason why I made them is because I'm going to need an attack force.," Free stated.
"Don't you mean the nation?" The Lord questioned, his voice trembling slightly.
Free's pure white eyes narrowed from the black space between the "petals" of his former face, a hint of impatience creeping into his tone as he spoke with an increasingly demonic reverb-
"Why? Because we need to claim our birthright as the next stage of evolution. I didn't allow the Empire to collapse for us to sit around and let the cockroaches inherit it- even if it was the second option to allowing it to prosper. We're the chosen ones that are destined to rule. The ones who don't have the limitations of the naked apes, the cattle we feed on." He began to rip his clothes to reveal white segmented robes with a white overcoat worn over it.
"I thought you'd wise up. But it looks like I'll have to stage an accident. I founded the Revolutionaries as a game to see who would come on top. The Empire to prove evil prevails or the Revolution- fighting the good fight, unaware that the good to hell is filled with good intentions. I can't wait to tell them that it was all machinations to get me into power. They're not even the first iteration. The Empire has spawned several versions of the rebels, and I've always sparked it because I'm bored.," "Free," said as he generated from his back a green tendril that blossomed a sunflower with a row of fangs as acidic drool dropped from the maw.
The Lord sat down and accepted his fate, he closed his eyes. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum, and he could feel the cold sweat beading on his forehead. But, he couldn't show weakness.
Free's tendril hovered over him, the sunflower's fangs gleaming with malicious intent. The area grew eerily silent except for the rustle of the leaves as the tendril moved closer. The Lord took a deep breath, his mind racing with thoughts of his life, his choices, and the empire he had sworn to protect.
"What is your name? Is Free just an alias.," asked The Lord.
"Oh, he existed. A real pest who's only useful for crowd-rousing speeches. If you must know. It's Sol-Flor, but it used to be something annoying like Sunflower.," the being said.
"Wait you...," The Lord asked as the black spot in the middle suddenly sprouted a demonic skull face with white eyes and a row of demonic sharp teeth.
"Yup. I killed my entire orphanage and I used their faces to prop myself as rebel leaders to trick them to overthrowing nations I brainwash into corruption, unaware of how complicit they are in dooming themselves. All except the neat freak.," Sol-Flor explained.
The Lord felt a strange calmness wash over him as he asked- "Sol-Flor, so what is your endgame?"
"Mainly get rid of my rivals so I can fuck as many little boys to death as I want without anyone getting in my way. Like the Great One's lovers who talked back to me. It's so nice to talk to someone about it without it coming back to bite me. These Cadmus are going to eliminate those Evil Being bastards for me.," Sol-Flor replied.
The Lord's eyes snapped open, a sneer of disgust twisting his features, it was revolting to see how his initial suspicions of maybe Free being a mastermind with grandiose ambitions being surprisingly petty yet going to heinous means to get it.
"Fuckin' pedophilic weed. The Empire. The Revolutionaries. You used them to make this little band to eliminate your foes just to indulge in your fantasies. Don't you have ambitions?" he spat.
Sol-Flor chuckled, the sound echoing through the devastation, "Ambition? Oh, I have plenty. I wanna rape all the cute boys in the world. Have them be cloned because girls are so icky and bossy. No one's able to fight against me because I planted roots in them that activate if they ever try to talk back. I've killed countless boys after I've done my way with them. You know, what I'll kill God and become God so I can mandate that all cute boys belong to me!"
The Lord felt his blood boil, his fists clenching tightly at his sides before he calmed down.
Sol-Flor turned around and looked in shock at who was listening in.
"You're finally cornered. The secret Chessmaster of the Empire. And you're uglier than I ever imagined.," The Lord noted as the sunflower began to charge up an orb of condensed air as Sol-Flor flung it at him.
Wave proceeded in his Teigu form to kick him, but it barely nudged him.
"You were always the weak link of the Jaegers. A big softie like your predecessors. But you have a prettiness that I can-," he said as he was then kicked by Lagie, but he used Fraus to have it phase through him.
"Sorry, but he's spoken for.," said Yomihime as she generated fire to burn him, but he used a vine generated from his chest to swipe it away.
"Ignis. You dolt. I'm gonna have you executed for this annoyance. As the true King-," he said before noticing Leone and Najenda on his backside.
"I don't appreciate that everything I fought for was a lie.," Leone said as she threw a right haymaker as it collided with the false Revolutionary, but caused her arm to break in a zigzag pattern. He then generated tendrils to constrict her from the inside of his sleeve.
"The little street cat needs to be skinned.," he said before noticing Kurome despite being scared of her wits, biting some of his tendrils.
"Tch, Mume's little bastard brat.," he said as he attempted to shake her off.
"I want to eat this.," she said, which caused him to be infuriated.
Najasho grabbed a blade to slit Sol-Flor's throat as Poney kicked him, which barely budged him.
Najenda then used her artificial arm to constrict him. Her face was covered in tears.
"Everything you said that day...was a lie?," asked Najenda.
Najenda's First Day in the Revolutionary Army
She looked sullen in the tent as Free arrived. Lubbock gave him a jealous hiss before Najenda shook her head.
"Sorry, he's like that.," he said.
Free then looked at her arm.
"A price for freedom.," he noted.
She then looked at the sky as she frowned.
"What's troubling you?," asked the man.
"Will it be worth it? There are trash to be taken out, but also people who aren't rotten, but are dedicated to the old regime. This new government- The new Kingdom. Will it be worth it?," the woman asked.
Free then smiled.
"There will be deaths and likely your names won't be recorded, but know that their sacrifices won't be in vain as long as you fight to honor them.," he replied.
Najenda smiled as Lubbock looked on, slightly envious that he couldn't comfort her like that.
"You know, I've seen a lot of people like you. They come to the revolution with hope in their hearts, but their eyes are filled with doubt. It's a hard thing to carry, but it's what makes you strong," Free said, his voice soothing, reassuring her.
Najenda nodded, the weight lifted off her shoulders.
"We'll see it that the new Kingdom won't repeat the mistakes of the Empire.," she said as she gave a thumbs up.
Free looked at her with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, as he replied "You're too kind. I'm not as brave as you. I'm ashamed of my weakness. I can only lead to having the forces deal with the outside while you deal with the inner core of depravity in this nation."
"We have our roles to play. Lady killer.," she joked, but "Free" didn't find it funny, awkwardly laughing.
"I'm off. I hope we win.," he said as he walked away. Najenda looked at him while Lubbock seethed with envy.
Present
"You...," Sol-Flor said as his face's "petals" pulled together to reform a face. Najenda's eyes widened as it seemed like everything was just a big misunderstanding.
She then noticed Tatsumi screaming as he became conscious and rushed forward-
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Tatsumi's voice cut through the tension in the area, raw and furious as he stumbled towards the scene, his eyes wide with horror as he took in the chaos. The tendrils wrapped around Leone's body tightened, and she let out a muffled scream, her strength fading.
Tendrils jettisoned and tangled around the others.
"Oh, Naj. You said that you'd be prepared to face judgment for the people you killed to save the country yet you have such self-righteous issues. It's hilarious that you thought that you could make up for what you did...but that's a lie- you're hellbound for allowing me the freedom to do what I want and that every death is going to be your fault for not noticing the devil near you that was using you as a dumb sap and focused on the phony monsters out of your reach. You just used excuses to make up for the fact, you're a cripple that failed to save that midget Lubbock. And you didn't have the guts to seduce him. While you might not be the ideal man, you're mannish enough to this.," said Sol-Flor as his face was now that of a handsome man with square glasses, brown-iris eyes, and a mullet of brown hair. His tone went from monstrously vulgar to insufferably polite.
The area grew tense as everyone stared at the creature before them nearing Najenda. Tatsumi's rage grew as he saw his comrades suffering, and he knew he had to act fast.
However, he wasn't prepared for the truly insidious act that was about to occur.
Sol-Flor kissed a surprised Najenda as tendrils proceeded to emerge from his body to uncloth her. She looked angrily with her remaining eye as she attempted to kick him, but he generated tendrils to restrain her. He then unzipped himself as his manhood entered her.
He thrust as Tatsumi went from fury to blind wrath as he closed the distance with his lance, but it was blocked by Sol-Flor's right index finger and thumb.
"The adults are busy. I'll come after you next.," he said as he flicked Tatsumi away. The Cadmus proceeded to pin him down alongside Plain.
Sol-Flor continued his heinous act as he continued to violate her she cried tears of furious anger at being betrayed.
The sunflower then brought a collection of bones and laid them next to Najenda along with a certain Teigu and goggles. Lubbock's gear.
"He's likely so jealous from the depths of hell because he wasn't man enough to put you in your place as his girl. He can see everything from down there and if he could speak, I bet he'd be yelling that you shouldn't have trusted me. Serves him right for being lecherous yet not ambitious enough.," he said between kisses.
Najenda's mind raced as she felt her resolve crumbling. All the deaths she had caused in the attempt to reform the nation, all the battles she had fought, and all for what? To be violated by the very creature she had trusted and had essentially betrayed the cause from the start- being a viler evil than everything she faced? The irony was not lost on her. She couldn't just let it end with her being used as he continued to violate her.
"I'm getting bored. To think revenge would be so anticlimactic. I had wanted to do it with you back in your past life as a man, but he was more well-guarded than you. We set up a deal that I help you undermine the Great One so the Empire could stop its crusade on imaginary monsters and focus on its improvement for the people. But you killed yourself when you realized I was using you to take over. It took 500 fucking years to undo the damage you did to me. Do you know how hard it took to undermine the roots of the Empire while juggling Wakoku and other nations? Of course, you don't, you live such meager lives like mayflies.," he boasted.
"Who the hell is the neat freak...," Najenda said weakly before realizing her knowledge-deep bond with her former Teigu.
"You knew Susanoo.," Najenda said, which made Sol-Flor pause as he grunted out of frustration.
"I don't want to hear that.," he said as he began to tighten her with his tendrils.
"Guess he scolded you for being sloppy and a petty rapist. And you ran away to hide behind your Great One. And when he didn't allow you to indulge in your fantasies you betrayed him.," Najenda observed, which caused Sol-Flor to generate an angry vein.
"This is just an empty whimper as you slowly die. I have Cadmus to back me up. My word is that you all died honorably as you failed to protect the Capital I'll tell the masses. And-," he noted before seeing Murasaki.
"This is what I mean by sloppy.," she said as she bit her right back tooth as she exploded literally in his face. The tendrils all unraveled as they sent the survivors away.
He then looked at the arriving woman.
"Don't think of me like Fiend. I was his mentor, though he was a troublesome brat who didn't follow through like my other prodigy. Anyway, you failed. Your cause was used by me from the start. Don't go off on tirades of friendship, bonds, etc. They-," he said before noticing Murasaki proceeding to kick him down into the ground.
"You're a weed. Stay there.," she said before turning to Najenda- a very burnt body who only had the top half of her left.
"I had this installed as a last resort in case I was captured. Sorry for not telling you this.," Najenda said.
Leone and Tatsumi cried.
"So what happened?," the silver-haired woman asked.
"Half of us is sorry for taking your arm and eye.," Murasaki said.
Najenda gritted her teeth.
"I don't want to hear that from half of you...Akame...we were...," she said as she cried as the dark-blue-haired girl looked down.
"I know. The root of the corruption is here and we're going to make sure it remains buried.," she said.
She feels different from before., thought Najenda.
"Before all of that.," she said as she had snow surround Najenda. The flurry died as it revealed Najenda fully restored...including her missing arm and eye.
Najenda was stunned at this as was everyone else.
Sol-Flor got up from the ground, grimacing as his glasses were half-broken.
"We don't know what we are now, but we got this.," she said as she looked resolutely.
Next Chapter: Kill The Chess Master I- Murasaki's battle with Sol-Flor begins. The fate of the Center Continent begins.
Author Notes: This chapter was mainly to set up how repulsive Sol-Flor truly is- like an unholy mix of Aizen and Kenjaku, but having that typical AGK edge by being vile. His relationship with Susanoo will be explored later on.
Murasaki has mastered the powers of life and death as evidenced by Najenda's restoration of her arms.