Chapter 4: Evil Being


Ship Heading to Central Continent

"That's a really scary lady I heard about.," Poney noted.

What a predatory presence., Yomihime internally acknowledged.

Najenda then pulled out something to Murasaki's shock.

"I got this from the corpse of that disgusting beast. Do anything funny and this will activate. I was worried we might've found Teigu over there, but it turns out it was necessary for now.," explained the silver-haired woman.

"Careful as always.," Murasaki noted in Esdeath's voice.

"Did Hell get fed up with you?," asked Najenda.

What did you learn that you need to do THIS?, thought the former general.

They then noticed something flying in the sky and heading towards them.

Before they could do anything, it revealed itself to be a raven humanoid.

They were all battle-ready.

"I'm just a messenger.," he said as he gave a letter to Najenda before preparing to leave.

"What makes you think you can just walk away?," asked the silver-haired woman.

"Sigh...I know that the boy- now that he's functionally combat-ready, most of US can't hold a candle. So we're going to settle this in our way.," he said as readied to fly.

"Which is?," asked Mine.

The winged being flew into the sky.

"Kodoku. Look it up.," said the being as he vanished.

"Damnit.," Tatsumi cursed.

Murasaki then sighed.

"You can lock me up if that's safer.," she said in Akame's voice.

Akame's friends looked concerned for.

"Akame-," said Mine.

"You can just say Akame died to secure Tatsumi's cure.," said the dark-blued-haired woman.

"What is Kurome gonna say?," asked Mine.

Murasaki looked to the side.

"It's better this way.," she explained.

"These creatures.,"

Najasho stared at the sky as Poney looked concerned.

Yomihime had also looked, but more knowingly.


Capital Library

2 Days Later

Najasho had been brought to Dr. Plain- the benign brother of the fallen evil scientist, Dr. Stylish- in order to undo the brainwashing that Tenrou had done to him. Poney was accompanying him.

Mine had returned with Tatsumi.

Yomihime and Murasaki were currently kept locked up for the sake of the latter not going berserk and the former not being too entirely trusted as of yet. Only to be let out when the mission would be at hand...

Najenda decided to go to the former Imperial library in the most ancient section detailing the foundation of the Empire. She had been increasingly curious about the existence of the weird humanoid monsters she encountered since Wakoku.

She eyed the books that were gradually older in material until she located an odd book- a metallic cover dotted with the ancient runes from the age prior to the Empire. She pulled it out and began to read it.

It to her shock, showed odd lights that showcased a sequential series of images while having an auditory element. It showed a typical Danger Beast in a straight line followed by creatures of increasingly humanoid stature

Danger Beasts are creatures that are hostile to humanity due to the latter encroaching on their territory and harming their habitats. What has been obscured is the existence of Danger Beasts that have evolved human and beyond level intelligence while maintaining their phenomenal power. These are called Evil Beings.

Sounds very tacky., Najenda acknowledged before continuing.

These Evil Beings gathered around their messianic figure, the Great One, which almost drove humanity to extinction. Thanks to the efforts of the founders of the Empire, Wakoku, and other nations inventing weapons based on the corpses of Danger Beasts- Teigu, Meihou, etc. they would be able to defeat the Great One and force the Evil Beings into hiding.

Images of the first Emperor along with his allies taking down a vague humanoid with horns.

The Evil Beings went into hiding as humanity forgot this enemy in favor of infighting and corruption over the centuries. It is implied that-,

"Najenda. You're finally back.," said a voice that made her turn around.

It was a well-built man with gray, unkempt hair with stubble on his chin dressed in revolutionary gear. His eyes were perpetually closed.

"Free.," she said.

He noticed the book on the table and laughed softly.

"Reading old folk tales?" he asked.

Najenda turned pensive, this was a man whom she was grateful to yet also felt distance with internally for some reason she couldn't put into words.

"I would've agreed with you before but I saw things that made me question that notion.," she replied.

After a pause, she backtracked and said-

"Thank you for allowing us to act on our desire to change the nation. I'm just doing something that may or not be paranoia for the sake of the country. And I hope it's just that."

Free scratched his head.

"I only saw something wrong and everyone backed me up. It's a shame that not everyone could join us on this day.," he replied as Najenda remembered her fallen allies.

Najenda then remembered what one of the flame elementals and proceeded to ask-

"Are you sure we can trust everyone who fought alongside us?"

Free sighed and replied-

"What makes you say that?"

"It's just some words I heard that make me feel uneasy.," she said.

"I'd ignore that thought-," he replied before noticing another presence.

Another man walked into the room and they both bowed.

It was a man with pale hair, the new ruler of the nation, previously the head of the Path of Peace religion.

"I agree.," the man said.

While Najenda was relieved, Free was tenser. The Lord felt a mix of assurance and disappointment.

"She's just gone to check up on a situation that turned disastrous, but it's alright now. It's just being over-cautious," Free said.

"I appreciate your help doing the work on the side, but one can't be too cautious since evil always exists in the light of good no matter how we try to find it. Hopefully, it doesn't grow in our lifetime.," the Lord noted.

"Yes...," Free replied as he looked to the side with a brief expression of contempt.

He then proceeded to walk away from the room.

"He's never really opened up to us despite how much he helped out with the Revolution's foundation. It's like he doesn't like me.," the Lord said.

He then noticed the book.

"Reading on history?" asked the fair-looking man.

Najenda then turned to the Lord.

"Your parents...were they Evil Be-," she asked.

This earned her a scowl from him.

"It's a world that's better off not knowing about that beyond it being a Danger Beart. I hope it's not just rumor that-.," he replied.

"I'd agree with you if I didn't see some when I went to Wakoku.," Najenda replied, which made the Lord sigh.

"So it's come to this, the world is about to face a greater threat that it long since forgot about.," he acknowledged.

"Why hasn't anyone talked about this? Or prepare for it?" she asked.

"Because they've not been this open about their actions so far. Operating from the shadows while evil men took center stage. And you had bigger things to worry about and losses occurring from that.," he replied.

Najenda then thought of her fallen Night Raid colleagues.

"But, now this is a problem. What is the Kodoku?" asked the woman with the artificial arm.

"It's a fight of Evil Beings sanctioned by followers of sin who make wages on who winds. There's one being held in the south by remnants of Honest. They're getting bold to stage one here. Perhaps they're going to take out their frustrations in their failures while also planning to-.," he said more to himself.

Najenda then clenched her fist as he focused his attention back on her.

"So it's a fighting game between those beasts...I'm wondering...the Evl Beings...The Empire's corruption and Tenrou...were they accountable for it?" she asked.

The Lord looked to the side in shame as he nodded.

She was briefly infuriated but calmed down.

"Most people can't handle them...except for maybe those two even if it's not optimal. Tatsumi's still needs to recover.," she said.

"Actually, there are two others who can help.," he replied.

Najenda was surprised.

"What? How did?," asked Najenda.

"I can see the future and heal others, but I'm not a fighter. So I have to rely on others.," he sadly admitted.

Najenda then sighed.

"I have faith they're reliable.," she spoke.

"You know at least one of them.," the Lord replied.

After a long bout of silence, Najenda turned.

"To think we'd get an opportunity this soon.,"

Akame. new girl. Sorry for this, but I'm having to use you. Sorry., she thought.

The Lord then thought-

This may be a way to deal with future corruption, but you don't know that from the beginning...our hopes have been tainted by the vines of a parasite hiding amongst our ranks...


Southern Part of the Empire

Murasaki and Yomihime were in a forest as tasked by the new government to deal with this obscure Kodoku event that the capital had learned about. They would be fighting 27 other teams of 4 other members to meet up with this so-called Great One as a prize. What would be an honor to other members would be an opportunity to deal with the problem directly.

Murasaki's group was accompanied by two others who had been recommended by the Lord. The first had an odd sense of familiarity about them for some reason to Murasaki while the other was an unknown. Yomihime was neutral- neither hostile nor glad for the aid.

The members that were not cloaked ranged from human to oddly animalistic to inhuman.

So these are Evil Beings. Things have escalated since I got back, what's going here?, Murasaki thought in Akame's voice.

Murasaki looked to see a person approaching her-

A very large, well-built man with a bull-like head wide eyes with yellow irises, a large hoop ring running in between his nostrils, and small horns on top of his head. He wears penny loafers, a pair of cargo shorts with a red sash around his waist, and dons a black leather jacket that roughly stretches to his chest. Additionally, he sports black wristbands with a logo of a red bull on them. He had previously fought Tatsumi and lost handily to him.

"I'm still pissed over the brat, but I'm one of the chosen ones. Heh, the bitches will be much easier to deal with.," he said before immediately pausing.

"Oh, boss man. I-I'm not playing anything.," he whimpered.

"Wait, Kalbi till we get our orders from our boss.," said a cloaked figure.

"And besides we superior beings go all out against threats no matter how insignificant they seem on the outside.," he added as he kneed Kalbi in the gut, forcing him to his knees.

"U-understood.," the bull-man replied as he got to his feet.

Murasaki then thought of her team's "sponsor"- a former lieutenant that Tatsumi had initially gone to become a member of the Empire to get funding for his village. His corruption was discovered and he was pardoned due to the smaller embezzlement crimes compared to the barbarity of the major targets of the Revolutionaries on the grounds of "leading" the team much to his horror.

"You're foolish, newbies. Very soon...," the figure said before flashing disproportionately massive eyes and square-edged maw.

"You'll experience real fear-," he said before being kicked away by the first cloaked figure who accidentally revealed their hands in doing so. Yellow-furred covered hands.

"Fear? What the hell is that?," the figure asked in a familiar voice.

Murasaki was almost completely sure of this individual's identity but just needed to see the face to make absolutely certain.

"Not comprehending fear. Almost all creatures feel fear. You-," the kicked cloak said before being stopped by a larger cloaked figure.

Kalbi and the other figure followed this figure.

"A bit aggressive ain't they.," the figure acknowledged as she removed her hood.

"You're-," realized the girl.


Outskirts of the Capital

12 black cloaked figures emerged from the shadows on the periphery of the capital.

"So this is needed now?," asked the apparent leader.

"Where's Necron?," asked another.

"Off doing his own thing. What matters is that we can accomplish it...the revenge of 1000 years..," said the leader.

With that, they rushed into the entry of the capital.


Next Chapter: Change of Fortune

Author Notes: The next arc is going into full swing as Murasaki (Akame/Esdeath) encounters both new and old faces while a new threat comes to the capital. The Evil Beings are a way to make the Danger Beasts into a much more credible threat with their own personalities.

Give this a review when you can.