I don't quite understand the whole putting a foreward section but I saw other people do it in their works. So I guess I might as well follow tradition.

Special shoutout to MyyGottMitUns for getting the guess of the woman who saved Tatsumi wrong in his prediction. I made all of chap 2 just out of spite to make him wrong. It was all very intentional. :]

Anyways, here's the chap that introduces the worst girl of the series. Enjoy.

The World When the Sun Rises

Trees whipped by as the man dashed through the woods. He was honing in on the location of where the sniper would be. If he didn't at least find the one that shot Iwokaru, the prime minister would surely have his head. It was his job to guard Iwokaru after all.

His opponents were probably Night Raid's assassins. He knew he had to be careful but if his opponent was a sniper, at close range, he'd never lose. His hunter instincts rattled as they led him towards the smell of prey. So long as he brought down the one who killed Iwokaru and if they were indeed Night Raid members, the prime minister could never complain. After all, Honest wasn't a man who gave a damn about familial ties-

Thunk!

The man felt the coldness of metal soothing outwards from his chest. Looking down, he was shocked to see a blade piercing outwards from his chest, wet with his own lifeblood.

He gasped painfully as he fell. The blade withdrew from out of his back.

The man rolled over to see the face of his killer. He met the cold green eyes of a boy's face.

"N-Night Raid…!" The man gasped. A boy as young as him could hide his presence this well!? He was going to die today… to a brat that looked half his age…!?

"Sorry. Nothing personal." Tatsumi replied as he cleaned off his blade and walked off.

Akame and Leone came rushing into the scene just a few moments after.

"Hey! Akame…!" Leone shouted as she detected the corpse.

"I know." The raven-haired assassin replied. "The fifth guard."

"He's the assistant instructor of the Koukenji temple… how's he dead?"

Akame looked around trying to detect another presence. She walked over to the body of the dead master martial artist, inspecting his wounds.

"A clean stab from the back through his heart. From the sheer cleanness of it, he didn't even know it was coming. Given the fact that it was a blade that did this, it's probably not Mine."

"He was probably after her though, right? That's why his body is here."

"He got past the rest of us and was probably heading towards where he presumed the sniper would be. He likely would have found her, given his direction… but someone intercepted him."

"...who could've killed a master martial artist so cleanly?"

Akame didn't answer. Strange things were happening a lot these days. Ever since the Evans family was slaughtered before they could get him. Then, a woman donated a great sum of money to them without asking for a hit. Now, a target had been killed without their knowledge. And from the looks of it, they had just missed the killer. Akame gripped her sword tightly in anxiety.

"... a mysterious third party… that none of us know about…"

...

Tatsumi looked over his shoulder. He was content for now. If he hadn't done this, Mine would have likely gotten hurt in her encounter with the assistant instructor. That wouldn't do. He promised he'd protect them this time around.

Three days had passed since he took down Ogre and Gamal. His body was doing better now. In fact, it was doing a lot better. He would feel light-headed if he exerted too much so he had to be careful. But he could feel his weight and blood returning.

He gazed back at the night sky. It was too early for him to meet with Night Raid yet. He had a plan in motion. He will make first contact with them tomorrow night.

Tomorrow.

But first he would have to kill Zank the Beheader.

Then his plan would be set in motion.

Tatsumi gathered up his possessions. There weren't many to consider. He had been living under Maria's care for six days now to heal. He wasn't in peak condition but he had gotten to a state of being capable of outputting more strength now.

Doctor Marlow came by to check up on Tatsumi's progress a while back. To his shock, he reported that Tatsumi's body was healing at a rate faster than he had anticipated. Tatsumi would probably only need 2 weeks or less to replenish his lost blood. His left arm was still a big problem. It could move but not without hurting like hell. He really didn't want to interrupt its healing process but a month or two of recuperation would be too much time wasted. Even though he wasn't at full strength, he still needed to fight.

After all tonight, he was going to take on a teigu-user. He might very well die.

From Tatsumi's testing, he was capable of doing moderate exercise for about 5 minutes before he started to get light-headed. If he really went all out, he wasn't sure he could last 30 seconds.

But for Tatsumi's plan to work, he needed to take out Zank before any member of Night Raid could. He would have to push his body beyond its limits.

Tatsumi lifted the sack carrying his most basic belongings - a change of clothes, some money, the wooden doll he received from his village and other miscellaneous items.

Maria was waiting by the door as he carried his luggage. She offered a smile as he approached.

"You are leaving now?"

Tatsumi nodded. "I am. I have many things to do."

He stopped before the door to turn towards Maria. "I am forever grateful you saved my life, Ms. Maria. I wish you the best of luck in your future."

Maria shook her head. "I am grateful to you, Tatsumi. Please, keep your luck for yourself. You will surely need it more."

Tatsumi smiled. He turned and left the house.

…

Tatsumi wandered the streets of the Capital market for the spot he remembered. The open and empty spot he and Zank had met the first time. Finding the area, Tatsumi went right into the middle and posted there, waiting.

It was still midday and plenty of people were rustling through the streets. Zank would wait until the people had thinned from the streets, until the vestiges of light had faded from the sky. Tatsumi didn't bother with chasing or finding the serial killer. He had to bet that the killer would find him, as the sequence of events was the first time.

Sunlight began to fade from the horizon as the hours passed. Tatsumi gazed at the streams of light that split in the sky, coloring the world orange and red. It was a profound vision of beauty and nature. Tatsumi enjoyed the calm of the world for a brief few minutes before even that faded past the ends of the earth.

Drawing his trusted village blade, Tatsumi sank the tip into the ground, putting his hands upon the hilt, resting them in a confident position as he declared his mind out into the world.

'Come Zank.'

Eerie silence followed the loud thought. The people had now all but disappeared from the streets. Darkness crept up, claiming the empty kingdom of the Capital's streets, inviting the monsters to play in its world. One monster happily took that invitation to Tatsumi's relief.

"Heh heh… happy happy… So you are waiting for me, boy?"

From the front, Tatsumi witnessed the darkness retreat as a figure stepped out into the fleeting mixed light of the dimming sunlight and rising moonlight. A tall figure of a blonde man wearing a trench coat that did absolutely nothing to hide his buff stature came into view. Upon his forehead, an object in the shape of an eye rested. It clicked open as it locked onto Tatsumi.

"If you can read my mind, let's skip the pleasantries. Zank…" Tatsumi gripped the sword's handle, bringing it up from the ground. "... present me your neck."

The eye clicked on the forehead. Zank used clear sight to check Tatsumi for other weapons. It clicked again back into Insight, reading his mind.

"Oh… tachypsychia? I've never heard of that before. It makes your mind think faster… and you want to use my teigu to contact Night Raid…? What a plan you have."

Zank unleashed two knives from his forearms.

"You threaten me… Zank the Beheader… with decapitation!? Happy happy… I'll give you a nice cut, boy!"

Zank took the initiative, rushing towards the boy. Taking a solid stance, Tatsumi raised his blade. He didn't want to turn the fight into a close quarters brawl but since Zank probably heard that thought, he had no choice. Zank went rushing in. Steel clanged as Zank's blade was blocked by Tatsumi's own. The ringing from the contact reverberated through Tatsumi's entire body, making him wince as his left arm spiked with pain. "Nnng…!"

"Haha! That's great, Tatsumi-boy! You're fighting me while having one lamed arm and low blood supply? How did you ever come here thinking you would win!?"

Zank began an onslaught of slashes onto Tatsumi. Even if Tatsumi was at full health, he could neither match Zank's strength nor reach. He was forced to back down to avoid many of the blows. Small cuts formed on his body.

'Superficial wounds.' Tatsumi thought to himself. 'Don't panic, keep your heart calm and focus on deflecting the lethal slashes.'

"Is that so!?" Zank cried out with a twisted smile on his face. "Then how will you kill me, Tatsumi? Will you kill me by dodging forever!?"

"You've been killed once." Tatsumi answered. "You can be killed again."

"Huh? What does that me-"

A flood of thoughts suddenly rushed into Zank's head with the power of Spectator's Insight. They were memories of the past. In the memories, Zank could see himself fighting Tatsumi, wounding him deeply, and getting interjected by Akame… who proceeded to overwhelm and… kill him.

Zank jumped back in shock, sweat forming all over his body as he read Tatsumi's mind. That what he saw wasn't a fantasy or a colorful imagination, it was a real memory. And in that memory, he had died. "W-what…?"

"Ah. So you saw it?" Tatsumi said calmly, he lowered his sword as he glared at Zank's cowering figure. He began to walk towards him. "That which happened once will happen again."

Zank raised his posture. "Tatsumi… who the hell are you!?"

Tatsumi gave a cold stare right into Zank's eyes. "Ah, bad question. Now you have to see." He spoke.

All of a sudden, Zank's mind flashed with memories of Tatsumi's life. His time at Night Raid. His loss and sacrifice of his friends. His war with the Empire. His days as the lone survivor. The sight of the desolation and destruction that followed. And the return to the past.

"Y-You… are from the future…!?"

Tatsumi figured as much that Spectator's user would easily find his secrets. That meant he had to kill him. Tatsumi hunched low as he decided that he might as well use everything now. Zank's mental state was a mess. There was no better time to go all out. He was going to test out tachypsychia against a mind-reader. 'It's a good night to die.'

Tatsumi's circuits flared as he entered the world of slowed time, Zank's movements slowed to a crawl within his perspective.

Tatsumi began to swing his blade. 'I'll slash from the right, over his left arm.'

Zank heard the thought and tried to respond. "Urgh…!"

'No, I'll slash from below between his arms, with a rising slash.'

Zank immediately canceled his motion and tried to get his arms under to parry a lower body strike

'No, I'll slash from the left, aiming for his shoulder. No, I'll go for his lower leg. No, I'll run in with a thrust and stab him. No, I'll swing for his neck. No, I'll gouge his left leg. No, I'll gouge his right leg. No, I'll aim for his eye. No, I'll sever his left arm…'

Zank's eyes widened as the flood of attacks rushed into his mind, all being read quickly by Spectator's Insight. He simply could not keep up with Tatsumi's rate of thinking. Tatsumi kept firing up attack approaches before canceling them and committing to a different one. If Zank could read his thoughts, then Tatsumi simply had to think much, much faster than him. He would take advantage of his tachypsychia to overflow Zank's mind with his thoughts.

'A diagonal body slash from the right shoulder.' Tatsumi decided at the last second. Zank reacted a half second too late as the boy leapt forward at the very last instant to decide an attack. The blade tore from Zank's upper left shoulder, sinking down his chest. Zank responded as quickly as possible, slashing up to deflect Tatsumi's blade.

Tatsumi dodged backwards. "Tch. Too shallow." Tatsumi had managed to land a cut on the killer but it wasn't a lethal blow. It would disable his left to some degree however.

"Boy… what the hell are you!?" Zank roared at Tatsumi.

"Strange you should ask… you already read all of me." Tatsumi answered coldly. Despite his relaxed demeanor. Tatsumi was in a tight spot. He was feeling the heat a little now. His heart was beginning to pump. He failed to kill Zank just then… that was his best opportunity. If Zank went on the defensive, Tatsumi couldn't last long in his condition.

The panic did not escape Spectator's eye. Zank's face twisted into a smile. "Oh… so you're getting close to your limit, huh? Who cares if you're from the future…! If I behead you here and now, you won't get to change it!"

Zank charged towards Tatsumi. His stance was guarding his vitals well, leaving Tatsumi with very little openings. Even if Tatsumi took the chance to slash at him, what was left open wasn't nearly enough to land a fatal blow. If Tatsumi took Zank's tackle, however, Tatsumi would be greatly hurt. "Tch…!"

Tatsumi had no choice but to focus his energy on evasion. Rolling to the right, he escaped the coming charge. Spectator, however, could clearly see him trying that. "Don't run away, Tatsumi!"

Tatsumi rolled into a headstand kip up jump to avoid the slashes that Zank was dishing out but he knew his limits were going to be hit soon.

'Fuck… if only I had been stronger… No…!'

Tatsumi lands on his feet, pivoting immediately into an offensive stance.

'I can't wait to get stronger… I need to be stronger NOW!'

Tatsumi gave up all pretenses of conserving energy any longer and ran in to meet Zank's charge. 'Even if I die trying… I'll kill him here and now!'

The fire burning in Tatsumi's heart set ablaze. The sleeping soul connected to him awakened. Tatsumi's right eye turned red in that instant.

Zank was shocked. Suddenly, he couldn't read Tatsumi's mind anymore… the only thing that he could read was a great amount of rage. It was so mind-numbingly potent and painful that for a second, Zank's mind was overwhelmed. This wasn't a human amount of anger. It was an insane, beastly, monstrous kind of rage. But somewhere deep within that maelstrom of fury was a cold burning of regret.

'What… this… this isn't that boy's mind-'

"AAAAHHHHHHH!" Tatsumi cried as he slashed with everything he had at Zank's head. Instinctively, Zank raised his arms to guard it. However, Zank's left arm, which had already been wounded a bit, rose too late.

The blade sank through Zank's flesh, tearing it apart, cutting off Zank's right arm cleanly midway up his upper arm. Zank roared in pain as he clutched his stump of a right arm. Zank's cut arm landed a few feet away with a wet thud.

Tatsumi, on the other hand, gasped as he grasped his heart. He willed it to calm down as much as possible. He had once again failed to end his opponent's life…! He was beginning to feel quite the bit faint now as he cursed himself for having lost so much blood in his attack on the Evans household. Luckily, Zank was in no position to take advantage of Tatsumi's weakened state.

Zank was beginning to panic now. Insight wasn't working on the boy anymore! He could read nothing from Tatsumi's mind but rage and regret ever since his eye turned red…! If Insight wouldn't work, then he would simply use something else…! The boy wasn't a teigu-user… He would not lose…! Zank didn't need to read his mind to know that he was here to kill him. He had to use his Trump Card: Illusion Sight.

Tatsumi sensed the killing intent from his opponent and immediately got up as fast as possible, ignoring the aching within his body. 'Shit! Illusion Sight…! Calm down, Tatsumi, no matter who you see, know it's an illusion! Whoever you see, attack!'

Spectator clicked as it activated. Tatsumi's eyes blinked as before him, a tall female figure stood. He recognized her immediately although his mind could not comprehend it. Her hair was long and shaded the color of sky as were her eyes. It was Esdeath.

Fucking goddamn Esdeath.

Why?

"The hell?"

The image of Esdeath charged towards Tatsumi with intent to attack although it lacked the usual aura of danger. Flustered, Tatsumi dodged backwards, throwing up his hand.

"W-wait, stop! Just a second…!" Tatsumi cried. "Y-you're using Illusion Sight, right?!"

"That's right… you're seeing the image of the one you care for most… Can you kill whoever you see, boy?" Zank's sadistic gleeful voice rasped. Zank was going to end Tatsumi here and now.

Tatsumi was completely flustered. Not because he wasn't willing to kill the phantom, however.

Swinging his legs while ducking low, Tatsumi crashed down Zank's legs. While rising, Tatsumi dodged a strike from above, using his experience and great kinetic vision to land a faithful counter, slashing the neck of the killer/Esdeath Illusion.

"Y-you'd kill… the one you love most…? H-how merciless…" Zank rasped as he clutched his throat.

"Look… I don't know why she of all people showed up… but you showed me a very complicated thing just now…" Tatsumi gasped.

Zank collapsed to the ground. His eyes gazed up into the night sky. The world was fully illuminated now with the light raining from the moon.

Zank stopped struggling as he took in the sight. He was going to die. At first, he thought he didn't want that, that he wanted to continue on with living. Yet, as he laid down and gave himself towards the inevitable, Zank found that he was rather accepting of the coming end. Zank's eyes glazed over as he felt peace overcome his tired bones. The screaming of his soul to end more lives, the insane call to behead… he couldn't hear it anymore.

"You don't hear them anymore, don't you? The voices." Tatsumi breathed, sheathing his blade. Zank groaned as his throat filled with blood. He couldn't respond himself, but gratefulness entered his eyes as he looked up towards the green-eyed boy. Yes… he couldn't hear them anymore, the maddening cries of the souls he took. The vengeful roars of those who he beheaded. He closed his eyes feeling as in peace as he had when he was a child, cuddling up in his parent's house. He entered eternal sleep as his consciousness drifted away. His last thought was a sorrowful wish that the boy who slaughtered him would find peace as well at the end of the long path of carnage that he would set his foot on.

Tatsumi sighed as he placed his hand on his chest. His heart was pumping too fast. He breathed deeply. He exerted himself a bit too much for this fight. If his heart pounded too fast for too long, his lack of blood would cause him anemia. He allowed his heart to slowly calm down to a resting pace. His right eye returned to its original green shade.

But then he thought about Esdeath again. His heart began to pound like crazy. A slight reddening crept into his cheeks as he closed his eyes in some form of second hand embarrassment.

"Why her!?" Tatsumi complained into the night. He expected to see any of Night Raid's members… but his greatest enemy…!? He surely didn't remember having such high affections for Esdeath…!

'Okay… calm down, Tatsumi… it's not as though I had any romantic ties with anyone in Night Raid… at least Esdeath had declared her love for me back in the past… I must've appreciated her sincerity to some degree…' Tatsumi reasoned, trying to rationalize his situation. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. 'It's shocking to see her… well, no matter.'

Tatsumi decided to push the matter aside and walked over to the recently made corpse of Zank. He reached down and plucked the egg-sized teigu from the dead man.

"Stop."

Tatsumi froze in shock, his danger instincts flaring. Then he smiled. He recognized that voice.

'Silent as always. Even with my improved presence detection, I couldn't sense you.' Tatsumi mused to himself.

Turning slowly, his eyes turned to meet the piercing red gaze of a girl. Her eyes seemed to glare with intense seriousness, the same eyes he had met her with when he nearly died by her blade at Aria's mansion. Tatsumi's heart filled with nostalgic happiness upon seeing the familiar face of his old friend. A smile crept up to his face.

Akame could not discern the expression of the boy. He stared at her with a look that one would at a long time friend would after not seeing each other for a long time. There was happiness and sadness mixed in his expression. It was strange… but Akame felt somewhat soothed to see the boy. She felt no threat from him whatsoever. She tried to recall if she knew him or met him before. Nothing rose to mind.

Whatever the case, she kept her expression steady as she held her sword aimed at him. She gave a piercing glare and demanded with authority in her voice.

"Hand over that teigu."

To her surprise, the teigu in question came flying over towards her. She reached out and grabbed it instinctually, a look of dumbfoundedness on her face. He really did just give her the teigu.

Shaking her head of surprise, she trained her focus back on the boy. He was still smiling at her. She carefully watched his movements to see if he'd make a sudden grasp for his sword.

"Who are you?" She questioned, uncomfortable with the way the boy seemed way too comfortable.

Tatsumi smiled, almost sadly. He closed his eyes, holding back his emotions. It was their first time meeting again. From here, things were going to be different. He accepted within his heart, that even with his friend in front of him, he would never see them as he had so long ago. He raised the blade in his heart and cut the ties he held so dearly and said goodbye internally to the friends he had inside his memories, to the Akame he had known and fought with. 'Goodbye, my old friend. Goodbye, Night Raid.'

Opening his eyes, he gave a determined look right into Akame's eyes. "My name is Tatsumi. I request Night Raid's help."

Akame silently studied the strange boy, slowly considering her choices. She didn't like to make hasty decisions; she much preferred to take orders and dutifully carry them out instead. She wanted to consult her boss very much right now or perhaps have any other Night Raid member with her. But… she felt strangely trusting of the strange boy.

"What is it you need help with?" She shot out in a monotone voice, hiding her emotions.

Tatsumi gave a deep and serious look. "Two nights from now, Sheele will die."

That certainly set Akame off. A slight twinge of murderous intent escaped her. She glared at the boy even though she knew he wasn't making a threat. He was simply informing her.

"Explain yourself."

Tatsumi reorganized his thoughts. "Before I go on, I must tell you. I know a lot of things. And I mean a lot of things. I might surprise you with the amount of things I know but I want you to trust me with what I'm going to say."

Akame carefully considered his words. She didn't like to be drawn in like this but she had to admit, she was getting curious. "... go on."

"Two nights from now, Mine and Sheele have a mission to eliminate Chibul and his men, right?"

Akame tensed immediately. Mine was their newest member. She wasn't known by anyone as an assassin outside of Night Raid… there wasn't even a wanted poster of her! How did this boy know…

"Woah woah, easy on the bloodlust. I told you I know a lot of things."

"How do you know about Mine."

"That, I can't tell you."

Her grip tightened on her hilt. Her fighting instincts flared. If he knew, then how many others knew…?

"I can assure you, only I know. I'm a one-man team. I don't have a group nor have I told anyone else the things I know." Tatsumi continued. "I will tell you this: if things aren't changed, Sheele will die in two nights from now. She and Mine will come across a teigu user, Seryu Ubiquitous, the user of Hekatonkheires."

Akame wanted to question him but she was being swarmed with too many to consider right now. She really wished Leone was here right now…

Tatsumi sighed. Akame, in his memory, was a sharp girl when it came to assassination, but quite dull when it came to many other things. It was quite obvious she was starting to overheat with the little information he had given her just now.

"Look, I just want you to know this. Two nights from now, Sheele will likely die. I came to stop that from happening."

Akame shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She only had one pressing question she had left.

"Are you an ally?"

Tatsumi looked her directly in the eye. With all the sincerity he could give, he answered, "I am."

Akame waited a few seconds before lowering her blade and sheathing it.

"You said you needed our help. What is it?"

"That should be discussed tomorrow. I want to discuss things with Bo- Najenda here, or at any location you would prefer. I will come alone."

That sounded like a trap. Akame had to doubt him a bit.

"How can we know to trust you?"

Tatsumi expected a question like that. "The Evans household slaughter. The death of Ogre and Gamal. The death of the assistant instructor."

Akame reeled a little from that answer. The series of mysterious events - their targets being taken out before they even reached them. The rumor of the 'mysterious third party.'

"That was you?"

Tatsumi nodded.

Akame thought deeply for a few tense seconds before giving Tatsumi her ultimatum. "... tomorrow night, at the intersection of the western side of the market, in front of the 'Pure Prime'."

"... you mean… the meat store?"

"Yes."

Tatsumi sighed and then smiled wryly. "Got it."

Najenda was waiting anxiously. It was their first mission with the risk of encountering a teigu user. The risk of death skyrocketed from their usual assassination missions. There was a good chance that one of them wouldn't return.

Slowly, she waited with the night. Eventually, they began to return, trickling back to base. The first one back was Lubbock, followed by Bulat and Mine, then Sheele and Leone. They all reported nothing of interest in their designated hunting area.

It wasn't that unusual. Najenda sighed. If she had the supernatural ability to hear the thoughts of others, she would most definitely not approach skilled assassins as well. Even so, she would have really preferred such a dangerous teigu to not fall into the Empire's hands. If there was any hope left it would have to be with-

"Akame's back!" Mine called out.

From afar, Najenda could see the figure of the familiar black hair of the girl coming back to the base. Thankfully she seemed unharmed. Najenda smiled as she approached.

"Good. You're back." A cursory glance at her body told her she had not been in a fight. There were no signs of a scuffle or exertion on her at all. "I suppose that means you didn't find Zank?"

Akame shook her head. She tossed an object to her boss. Najenda caught Spectator in her large robotic hand. "Hey, wha- is this…?"

"It's Spectator."

Najenda held the teigu up to examine it. It was indeed the description of Spectator. Bulat laughed out brazenly.

"Good going, Akame! So you found Zank, huh? And you weren't even harmed-"

"I didn't."

The other members turned to Akame. Her gaze was serious. "I have something to tell you all."

…

"So you found this 'mysterious helper' of ours… and he had defeated Zank and simply gave Spectator to you?" Najenda mused. "And apparently, based on his testimony, Sheele will die in two nights because she will come across a teigu-user after a mission…"

"What the hell? So our friend turned out to be a goddamn prophet as well? He's not just a skilled assassin but he predicts the future?" Leone chimed in. Her curiosity peaked. "Man, I wanna see this guy!"

"He sounds so shady! Sheele will die!? Who does this guy think he is!?" Mine grumbled. "How did he even know about my identity! Akame, you should've killed him!"

"So he was a man…" Bulat mused.

"That's what you're concerned about?" Lubbock clapped back.

"Oh dear… I will die…" Sheele whispered before picking up a cup of tea, sipping it leisurely. "I'm glad he told us. I suppose I'll be careful not to do that."

"Akame." Najenda interjected with a serious tone. "You met him. What was your impression of him?"

Akame hesitated. "... I think… he's an ally. He… well… he… looked at me like… I was an old friend. He had the air of being careless and unguarded as though he saw me as a trusted ally… it was strange, like he somehow knew me… but I never knew anyone like him."

Najenda nodded. She couldn't make heads or tails of the boy from just that description but she trusted her subordinate's intuition. "Alright then. Tomorrow, I'll go meet with him."

"Ooh! Can I come with?" Leone prattled. "He's strong, right? He defeated a teigu-user without a teigu!"

"This could be important and we can't let ourselves walk into a trap. We're all going. Leone, Lubbock and Mine, you guys will secure the perimeter of the meeting point. Akame and Sheele… I want you both to come with me. You two are the best at close range. Bulat, you will guard at mid range while you're invisible, and watch for any interruptions."

"Roger!" The members of Night Raid yelled in unison.

Tatsumi knew that he described the meeting to be for that night but he came early at noon. He sat outside the store. A part of his heart shook with giddiness. A part of him was sore. He wanted desperately to rejoin his friends in their quest, to undertake their grand name of 'Night Raid' again. He wanted to be in their company again.

But he knew it was a fleeting dream. They were, right now, most definitely not his friends. Trying to force that connection would just be sad.

He watched with a nostalgic look as the sun began to set off in the distance. He felt eyes on him. Probably the long-distance squad, he reasoned. Mine and Leone. Maybe even Lubbock.

He entered the 'Pure Prime' and bought one of their large tomahawk steaks. 'Might as well prepare a present.'

Eventually, he felt the presence of two strong individuals approachin- three strong individuals approaching. As always, Akame was way too good at hiding her presence. Looking up from his location, he gave his welcoming smile towards the approaching group.

He tossed the steak at Akame. "Don't worry, it's not pois-"

Akame grabbed it and started eating it without waiting for confirmation.

"... -oned… well alright." His gaze turned to the other two. Najenda and… Sheele. Sheele… she was alive. Tatsumi blinked just to stop his eyes from tearing up. A bittersweet expression overcame his sense of professionalism.

'So that's him… he really is just a boy.' Najenda thought. 'And this is what Akame meant. He looks at us like we're old friends. I really can't think of him as an enemy.'

"Are you Tatsumi?"

Tatsumi cleared his mind. This was important. "Indeed I am."

Najenda decided to lean into the offensive. She was a negotiator and she had yet to determine the trustworthiness of this fellow. So, to make the most of this encounter, she would like to make things as favorable for her as possible. "Would you be willing to follow us to our base? It would be easiest for us to discuss things where we'd feel safest."

"That I cannot." Tatsumi answered plainly. "If I do, I'd have to join the Revolutionary Army or join Night Raid permanently. That would be the price for learning the location of your base, no?"

Tatsumi didn't divulge that he already knew that location. Can't let too much information out.

"So I take it that you aren't an ally of the Revolution, then?" Najenda shot back. She was testing the waters, trying to sniff out his true character.

"I am an ally."

"Then why won't you follow us?"

Tatsumi smiled. That was the Boss he remembered. Always sharp and layered with her offense. There was no weakness behind her words. That was why he couldn't follow her pace.

"I have my reasons."

Najenda frowned. So the boy was being tricky. He was outright admitting that he was willing to keep secrets hidden. This was going to be a difficult way to start a relationship.

"Nevertheless, I want to establish that I am your ally." Tatsumi continued. "So I will tell you things that are to your benefit."

Najenda shifted her gaze. Her arms crossed while giving him a piercing look. He was going to have to give some pretty damn good information if he was going to establish himself as a trustworthy ally. "Firstly, tell me how you know how Sheele's going to die."

"I can only tell you so much." Tatsumi responded. "Seryu Ubiquitous will be established and hidden within the trees of the groves in the southern side of the market. She will come across Mine and Sheele and initiate a fight. In that case, I had determined that Sheele would likely die."

"That sounds more like a prophecy than a prediction." Najenda returned. "How did you know about Sheele and Mine's mission? And about Mine's existence in the first place?"

Tatsumi smiled, giving a shrug.

"Tsk. Not telling, huh?" Najenda said.

"You'll have to trust me, Boss."

Tatsumi gave the white-haired woman a friendly banter. He called her 'Boss' without thinking much, but it came out fluently. Najenda picked up on that title, almost smirking. So the boy also knew what her members called her? It sounded almost like a challenge but more as though he were trying to demonstrate friendliness.

"So what do you want us to do? Send in more of our teigu-users to subjugate Seryu and take her teigu?"

"Probably not. Frankly, it's a disgusting teigu, Hekatonkheires. The user herself is twisted and warped in her own right. She's been experimented on, you see. Within her body, there are countless hidden weapons like guns. There's also a suicide bomb that I'm pretty sure she keeps as a last resort. Honestly, it's a better idea for Sheele and Mine to avoid her entirely altogether. Just take a different path back to base."

Najenda carefully considered Tatsumi's words. He didn't seem like he was lying but it was strange… how did he know all this? It was like he fought her himself or something or had received reports of her abilities. And he was just willingly giving away valuable information like that easily? Something like this was featherweight and disposable information to him? She wondered what he would consider secretive and important information then.

"Alright. It's not that disruptive for our plans." She eventually considered it. "We'll take your precaution."

Tatsumi smiled. With this, he had saved Sheele. Next was… Bulat.

"But now, it's your turn." Najenda declared. "What do you want? Akame reported that you approached her for help from us."

Tatsumi closed his eyes. This was going to be important. He gazed up at the sky.

"It should be around now… Esdeath must've finished conquering the Northern Tribes."

The mood dropped like a rock. Akame and Sheele tensed, reaching for their weapons just on the mention of her name.

"You'll receive reports of about 400,000 of their soldiers and citizens being buried alive by her campaign soon."

"The northerners… that is way too soon…" Najenda whispered.

Tatsumi nodded grimly. "She will soon arrive alone in the Capital, to deal with the rising problem that is Night Raid soon."

"What's your source of information on this?" Akame interjected.

Tatsumi closed his eyes. "You'll have to trust me."

Akame wanted to speak up but Najenda raised her arm to stop her. "I asked what you needed help on. Not news on Esdeath."

Tatsumi nodded. "When Esdeath arrives, the prime minister will issue a secret order to her to eliminate some of his political rivals. As she will be acclimating back into the Capital, she won't personally dirty her hands. She'll issue the order onto her Three Beasts."

Najenda nodded. "I see… so that's what you want?"

"Yes… their first two targets I must say, I don't know." Tatsumi lied. He forgot who the Three Beasts targeted. "But I know who they will go for third: the former prime minister Chouri."

Najenda nodded. The former prime minister was a good and virtuous man. She had heard news of his declaration to return to the political world. It made sense that that monster of a prime minister, Honest, would want to have him killed. "So you want us to protect Chouri from the Three Beasts?"

Tatsumi gave her a smile. "You get to benefit by taking three entire teigus for the Revolutionary Army as well, if everything goes well. Belvaac, Scream, and Black Marlin."

"The hell, you know of their teigus as well?"

"That's right."

Najenda felt her head spin. This wasn't information about weather or favorite foods. This was incredible game-changing information that could change the tides of war if true and this boy was giving them out freely as though it were a token of goodwill. "I still don't understand what you gain from this."

Tatsumi nodded. "What I want is to contact the former prime minister Chouri and, if possible, save him directly."

"Ah, I see." Najenda spoke sharply. "You want to form connections with Chouri."

"Yes." Tatsumi gave a serious look. "I want power. I want influence." Tatsumi returned. His eyes burned with the ferocity of his determination. In order to save the most people, he needed to climb higher up the social ladder. To become a hero… he had to raise strength. In the process, he would be saving Bulat Bro as well.

"This is all still based on the assumption that your information is correct..." Najenda spoke up. She still couldn't understand how all this information could be coming from a boy… he looked younger than even Akame! "Who the hell are you really, kid!?" Najenda couldn't help but express herself in an outburst. "You're telling me impossible stuff like it's nothing…! And you don't even look as though you're 18 years of age…!"

Tatsumi grinned. "Heh… I really do look like an enigma, don't I?" He gazed wistfully off into the distance. He really wanted to tell them everything. But he had to hold himself back. "It's… a secret."

"Then at least tell me what you want." Najenda demanded.

"What…? I told you what I wan-"

"Not that. What you really want. What's your end goal? Us revolutionaries want to take down the Empire and build a better future for everyone. What is your goal? Your dream?"

The question forced Tatsumi to pause. His eyes unfocused as he gazed far away into the distance, to a point beyond eyes, into the lonely world he had come from. He recalled it as vividly as though he had first seen it now, the blood, the destruction, the death. So much death that the light of the new and emerging world was snuffed out by the destruction preceding it.

"No one…" Tatsumi whispered.

Najenda prickled up a bit at his words. "Hm?"

"No one… Not a single person has to die."

The four that were in the vicinity stood in silence as the words rang heavily. The whisper resounded loudly in the air. It was the belief that encapsulated Tatsumi's soul, the idea that he would strive for.

Najenda clutched her head loudly and began laughing. "Kahahahaha! What a dream from an assassin! You can't be serious, Tatsumi…"

Her laughter died out slowly. Then a sharp glare could be seen in her remaining eye.

She suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Tatsumi's collar with her metal arm, lifting him above the ground. "Who the hell do you think you're kidding, brat! No one has to die!? Do you know how many people I have seen die just so I can be here!?"

She slammed him back against the nearby wall, forcing a gasp to erupt out of his lungs. "What about those you just ordered us to hit on, the Three Beasts? Do they not have to die? Who the hell do you think you are!? This is a war, you fucking idiot! You can't save everybody! If you want to change the world, people have to die!"

Tatsumi's hands rose to grip the metal arm binding him against the wall. His glare looked down with just as much fury to meet the gaze of the former general. "My journey… may not have been as long as yours…" With the memories of his fallen friends spurring his heart, Tatsumi choked out his words. "...in my time as a fighter, I realized… only fools want to make the world a better place…! You're gonna judge me for being stupid…? ALL of us here are dumb…! If I'm gonna be a fool, I'm gonna be the biggest dumbass around…" A grin crept up on Tatsumi's features. "...I'll fight for the most unachievable ideal!"

A tenseness followed before Najenda's hand whirred and clicked. The grip loosened, dropping Tatsumi to the floor. "...I'm beginning to see what kind of person you are."

Tatsumi testingly grabbed his neck. "Yeah? A dumb one, right?"

"No." Najenda gave a smile. "You've lost everything you've held dear before, haven't you?"

Tatsumi froze. Raising his head, he met the gaze of his former Boss. Her eye depicted the kind look that he remembered in his future. He smiled. She saw right through him.

"I can't even begin to imagine the things you went through to spout nonsense like that with such conviction. You're right, only fools want to make the world a better place." She extended her real left hand towards him. "I have never met anyone as crazy as you, Tatsumi. And, boy, have I met some real loonies."

Tatsumi extended his own hand with a smirk. "I can't ever begin to explain what made me… me, Boss." He clasped his hand with hers, giving a firm grip. "But if you've seen what I've seen, I'm sure you'd think the same as me."

…

"So? What was your impression, Boss?" Leone chimed in as soon as she ran up to Najenda. The group reformed as they saw Najenda depart from Tatsumi.

"... heh." Najenda laughed.

"... Boss, a 'heh' doesn't tell us much."

Najenda put a knowing smile on. "He's a goddamn crazy one. I usually wouldn't trust fools like him but…" Najenda's gaze looked far away into the mountains only she could see. She recalled the warm smile he gave upon seeing her. That smile alone told her enough. "...he's definitely an ally."

"...still looks shady, that creep." Mine grumbled.

"Agreed." Lubbock grumbled secondly. "I bet he was so giddy when Ms. Najenda started strangling him, that goddamn pervert…!"

"Jealous much, lover boy?" Leone snorted.

"He seemed trustworthy to me, Boss." Sheele smiled politely. "I think he's an ally."

"He's dangerous." A deep voice interjected. The group turned around with shock to the side where a tall armored figure materialized.

"What do you mean, Bulat?" Akame asked.

"He's dangerous… I felt it when I got close. It was… strange." Bulat answered. His tone sounded grim. He was rarely ever this serious.

"Incursio… I can't explain it… my armor started to… shake. It was like it wasn't responding to me anymore. I had to back up a few steps to make it stop… I could feel it… Incursio… was angry." Bulat said through his teeth.

The group was silent for a few seconds. They couldn't make sense of that information.

"Let's go back to base for now. We'll discuss what he… Tatsumi told me there."

Tatsumi leaned on the roof of one of the tallest Capital buildings near the groves. He had his eyes closed and he was listening. His ears were on full alert.

He had warned them but he wasn't sure. He had to make sure of it himself. He still remembered the pain of hearing about Sheele's death. He would make sure it would not happen.

He waited on the skyline of the Capital marketplace, overlooking the world below. He kept watch with sharp eyes and ears. He could hear the sounds of screams. So the assassinations began.

Leone would go after the drug/women traffickers. Mine and Sheele would go after Chibul. He just needed to make sure that they did not come across Seryu.

As the minutes ticked by, Tatsumi listened intently. He watched the groves intently, training all of his focus on the infamous location where the paths of karma intersected in his past life. He did not notice the passage of time as he waited. 'No one. Not a single person has to die.'

The night breezed by the boy. He stared down at the ground as though a statue overlooking the world below. Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned the clock.

The boy only began to react like an actual living organism when the rays of sunlight finally slashed through the dark and met his eyes.

Only then did Tatsumi realize how little he was breathing. He gasped as he breathed. Did he do it?

He had to have done it. He spotted an orange haired figure slowly creep out of a tree and begin to move away. Tatsumi felt his knees weaken. He really had done it.

Tears unintentionally formed in his eyes. He grasped at his heart which began to pound in his chest. The tears changed into sobs as he keeled over and tore up. He cried like a child. He had actually done it.

The future was changed.

Sheele had survived.

That desolate future had been changed. He had saved someone… he had finally saved someone!

Tatsumi gathered his breath and calmed down. As glad as he was, this was not the time to cry. This was only the first step in the long fight for a better future. He had done virtually nothing yet. Nothing was certain any more than it was in his first life. Sheele could easily be lost as in his first life. Now, he needed power.

Standing up, he gazed at the rising sun. The future was uncertain. It could lead to ruins but also to a better world. He felt his heart swell with hope.

The sun lit its light on the world that seemed so vast and endless to Tatsumi's eyes. He smiled warmly upon the sight. This was only the beginning.

"Come what may…" Tatsumi whispered, his knuckles clenching tightly in balled fists. "I will overcome that despair."

From far away, a chained dragon lands a distance away from the walls of the Imperial Capital, to the greeting of three hooded individuals. Despite being the mighty creature of children's dreams and legends, it was but a carrier. It was the submissive steed of a master whom it was carrying.

Upon its back was a singular figure. The figure held the chains that wrapped along its throat.

It was a woman who was still in her youthful days. Yet it was to this woman whom the dragon had surrendered its independence to.

As the dragon settles down, the woman, whose eyes are closed, opens to purview the lands of which she had been kept away from for a while. Her blue hair flutters in the slight breeze that picked up. The light from the sun reflected upon her blue irises. She then turns her head towards the sun, the same sun a boy within the Capital was gazing upon at the instant. Yet, even though it was warmth that reflected from the boy's face as he felt hope, the expression that lit up on the woman's face inspired a coldness of the opposite magnitude. A cold smile spreads across her face as she takes in the beautiful sight. Her instincts seemed to tingle of a coming entertainment. Something fun was going to happen, she felt it.

"I'm home, Capital." Esdeath whispers to herself.