Entering the stands of a training room, Honest saw Syura watching a fight. Seeing him, his son cried out.
"You're late, father! The massacre has already begun."
"Whatever," his father said, sitting down next to him.
Looking at the arena in front of him, he saw about twenty people lying on the ground, in a huge pool of blood and body parts. Only six people were still standing without a single scratch.
"Oh? Well, it seems I missed a great show! Introduce me to your new little friends."
"This is my new group: Wild Hunt." Syura told him. "The samurai is Izou! The clown is Champs! Cosmina is the one with the bunny ears! The little one is Dorothea and the other guy is Enshin! Except for Izou, all of them have teigu, but each of them are powerful fighters."
"Huh? As long as they have potential, their power and weapons don't matter."
Then, noticing the presence of the sixth person in the arena, he noticed that it was a large colossus, with part of the skin of its body all green and alligator jaws in place of a mouth.
"And this one, what kind of creature is it exactly?"
"This is Giry, nicknamed ''the genocide''! He's a man I met when I was coming back here! At first, he didn't really want to team up with me, until he found out that Dorothea will be with us! In fact, this guy's dream is to become a real monster physically! He wants us to transform him into a perfect killing machine! So, he finally agreed to become my subordinate in exchange for some modifications to his body."
"Here's someone with a rather disturbed mind." Honest remarked. "But, he'll surely be an interesting candidate! And in fact, I already have a mission for your new team."
"Really? Do you want us to take care of Night Raid already?"
"No! Rushing headlong into Night Raid will only benefit them! In fact, I prefer that you take care of the case of a member of the Jaegers: Wendy."
"Huh? Do you want us to kill her?"
"No! If you do and Esdeath finds out, I have no idea how she might react! In any case, I'd rather avoid any retaliation! In fact, I'd rather you persuade her to... resign permanently."
"How?" Syura asked, already having a thousand ideas to humiliate the child.
"Oh, I'm sure you already have an idea." Honest said, with a wicked smile. "But if you ask me, the best way to make someone leave is to simply get rid of all the people she usually associates with who have no protection! Make her lose the desire to stay in a city where everyone she loves ends up dead."
Base de Night Raid
"My God, I'm addicted to this stuff."
Sucking in flames from Rubicante, Natsu had no trouble operating Bols' teigu and was enjoying the flames the weapon produced.
"Yum, the flames that come out of it are quite a feast! Plus, I feel like it stays inside me longer."
Watching him silently as he was chained to a wall, Bols finally asked him.
"How can you be so calm?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
It had been almost half a day since Night Raid had returned to their respective bases and since then, Natsu had been assigned to watch over Bols. And to teach him what he had missed, the mage had told him in detail what had happened in Kyoroch. However, Bols had a little trouble believing it, given how the boy was behaving.
"You say you have only a month to live?" Bols asked. "How do you keep smiling, then?"
"It's simple! I simply intend to enjoy the little life I have left without regretting anything."
"Can we call this carelessness or simply abandonment?"
"No idea." Natsu admitted to him. "Nevertheless, I find it preferable to have a blast, rather than moping around without it changing anything."
"When you say it like that, it's not wrong." Bols admitted. "And actually, my companions... how are they?"
"If it makes you feel any better, we failed to kill your commander! However, Wendy and the girl with the dog are still missing, after they started fighting each other."
"Wendy and Seryu?" Bols said. "I wonder why they acted like that! The two of them were always together! They even had the best relationship of the entire team."
"No idea! Maybe Wendy fought her to protect us."
Hearing this, Bols murmured.
"I hope my other companions haven't found out she's working for you."
Hearing this, Natsu noticed.
"You're showing a lot of concern for Wendy! What about your family? Aren't you afraid for them?"
"Of course I do! I hope Wave can keep an eye on them! But, either way, even if I ask you to let me go see them, I doubt you'll let me."
"That's right! And Najenda doesn't want you to send them a letter either! For us, it's better that everyone believes in your death."
"And after? What would you do with me?"
"Honestly, I just hope we can release you! You're really not a bad guy! You're just a person fighting against us to protect what he believes is right."
"I can't say that." Bols retorted. "I... I know the empire is evil! I've been through hell since I was a kid, because of it! I'm just fighting for the empire to protect my wife and daughter! That's all."
"What about the revolutionary army? Have you ever thought about joining us to make a difference?"
"To be honest, I thought about it sometimes, but knowing the power of the two generals of the empire, I preferred to play it safe! However, looking at you, I believe that in the end your group also includes good elements! Tell me... are they all as powerful at Fairy Tail?"
"You have no idea! Against Laxus and Erza, Esdeath and the other lightning guy won't stand a chance! And I'm not talking about the old man and Gildarts."
"You guys seem like quite a group! Do you think you can see them at least once more before you die?"
Falling silent upon hearing this question, Natsu hesitated for a few moments, before finally saying.
"I prefer not to come back home."
" Huh ? Why ? "
"To tell you the truth, for seven years, because of a fight with a dragon, I hadn't been able to give any sign of life to my friends! After that, I stayed two months at the guild, before being sent here! Now, it must have been three months already that me, Gajeel and Wendy disappeared again! Imagine that we suddenly reappear and that I tell them that I'm going to die very soon! I... I prefer... in fact, I don't think I can tell them that! For the third time, I would disappear but, this time, it will be forever."
"And what would be the point of dying here instead of going to see them?" Bols questioned. "Look, it's none of my business, but don't you think it's better for you to die in the company of those you love the most? I'm talking about your guild! From what Wendy told me, you consider yourselves a real family, don't you? Don't you want to die next to your companions and tell them your last words? Tell them how much you love them? Do you really want Wendy or your other friend to tell them of your death?"
"No! Of course not! In fact, I… I would never have thought of the idea of dying like this! Being alive while knowing that a real countdown has started for my heart? Each of its beats reduces its longevity! And even if I don't want to show it, it scares me a lot."
"Death is something that will strike everyone, even me," Bols said. "I know that one day, karma will come and make me pay for every one of my atrocities."
"Bols, don't... Damn, stop saying stuff like that! You're not a bad guy! For someone working for the empire, you're one of the few I didn't immediately want to punch in the face because of anger! A lot of selfish people only think about money or getting a higher position! But you're not like them! You're some kind of puppet! I could never tell you to be proud of what you've done, but you never meant to commit all those crimes, did you? You're not a monster."
"That's what you said."
"No, Wendy told me that." Natsu retorted. "And if she told me, then I believe her."
About to say something, Bols was suddenly cut off as Lubbock arrived in his cell.
"Hey, Natsu! You should read the newspaper."
"Huh?" the magician said, as Lubbock tossed him the newspaper.
Immediately, he saw Wendy's face on the front page, and couldn't hold back a cry of joy.
"Wendy? Great! She finally decided to prove she's still alive."
However, reading the newspaper headline, he seemed surprised.
"Wait...she's part of the Jaegers again? When did she leave?"
"No idea!" Lubbock said. "She'll have to explain that to us in her next report."
"Whatever." Natsu said, grinning widely. "The most important thing is that she's alive! Great!"
"Yeah, but there's some less encouraging news," Lubbock said. "The appearance of a brand new special police force, called Wild Hunt."
"A special police?" Natsu repeated. "A new group of Jaegers?"
"No, it's something else! This new group... they're spreading terror in the city and killing people."
" Huh? " Natsu and Bols wondered.
"In the space of a single week, they have killed over a hundred people, claiming that they criticized the empire or that they had ties with us! They are thus multiplying the murders but also the rapes and the executions in public! They are real monsters! Besides, Najenda wants us to join her to talk about it."
" Okay ! "
But as the two boys were about to leave, Bols shouted.
"Wait, don't go! How is my family?"
" Huh ? " Said Lubbock.
"My family! How are they? Were they attacked by those monsters? Are they protected from them? Tell me."
"I have no idea." Lubbock stated simply, walking away.
Seeing Natsu pretend to imitate him, the masked man roared.
"Let me go! If assassins threaten their lives, I have to be with them! Let me see them."
Staring at Natsu, he implored him.
"Let me protect my family."
Hesitating then, Natsu looked away, unsure of what to do. Then, finally, he turned around and closed the cell door right behind him.
"NO!" Bols shouted, hearing him leave. "Leave me…! Just let me save my family."
Looking out at the city in the distance, while he was in one of the rooms of the palace, Wave began to sigh.
"A problem?" Run asked, a book in his hand.
"I don't really know! I'm afraid of something, but I don't know what it is."
" How so ? "
"Well, actually, I..."
Hesitating for a few moments, Wave finally made a decision, regarding his fear that Honest wanted Wendy dead.
Then turning to Run, he questioned him.
"Are we friends?"
"Huh, yes! Well, I think our relationship is above that of mere comrades now."
"In that case, can I trust you?"
Seeing him then display a very serious look, Run closed his book, before imitating him.
"Go ahead, tell me everything you know! You seem to know a secret that I'm completely ignorant of."
"I'll tell you everything! It's been bothering me for a while! In fact, I'm afraid the Empire is deceiving us."
"In what way?"
"The identity of the real enemy we must fight! Ultimately, the longer I stay here, the more I feel that we are, in fact, on the bad guys' side."
"What evidence do you have?"
"A strange conversation between the General and the Prime Minister! I couldn't hear everything, but I overheard the Prime Minister asking Esdeath to... kill Wendy."
"For what reason?"
"Apparently, she's gotten too close to the Emperor for his liking and is destroying everything he's managed to do, up until now! But, I don't really know what he meant! In any case, ever since I met him, he's made me feel uneasy! I've always felt like I've been dealing with a monster in front of me."
Listening to him, Run affirmed.
"Wave… I… yes, the empire is dangerous! In fact, all the biggest scum on this planet must be grouped around the Prime Minister, if you ask me."
"What... What?"
"Since I've been here, I've done a lot of research and overheard multiple conversations! In the end, Honest is the one manipulating the Emperor and trying to create a country worthy of him! That's probably what he was talking about with Esdeath! You know Wendy, right? A simple smile from her is enough to gain someone's trust! In my opinion, she must have sympathized with the Emperor and opened his eyes to the truth somewhat! And the proof of what I'm saying is the few laws that the Emperor has just created! They are totally different from the usual laws and this has changed since we became Jaegers! The Prime Minister must not like that."
"But... But... in that case... why doesn't anyone stop him?"
"Esdeath and Budo!" A new voice said.
Entering the room, Kurome continued.
"Who would dare to attack the Prime Minister, when he is protected by Esdeath? And no one would dare to criticize the Emperor either, for fear of finding themselves under Budo's wrath."
"What?" Wave wondered. "You… You both knew, and you didn't do anything?"
"I'm trying to make a difference, Wave," Run retorted. "But to do that, I need to gather as much information as possible."
"And me, the only thing I want is to see Akame again." Kurome added.
"Damn it, but do you really think we have time for this? Hundreds of people die every day because of... because of us? Is that really okay with you?"
"No! Of course not." Run asserted. "But we just can't act without thinking of a strategy! Think about it, Wave! Even with Wendy and Seryu with us, what could we do against Esdeath and Budo?"
"Fighting evil." Wave assured. "Isn't that our mission? Besides, … we're not alone."
" Huh ? "
Suddenly thinking back to his fight against Gajeel, and then their attack on the slave traders, Wave couldn't help but ask a question.
"Night Raid, … are they the good guys or the bad guys?"
"Wave… Night Raid is different! The revolutionary army is trying to overthrow the government, using brute force! That also causes deaths."
"Yeah, but at least it's getting results." Wave said. "And what do we do? We just sit there and let other people die, even though we know the truth?"
Suddenly glancing angrily at a newspaper, he grabbed it to see the photos of the new secret police.
"Wild Hunt! They just commit crimes, sometimes for no reason at all! Is this the kind of team we have to work with? Don't make me laugh."
"Wave! Calm down!" Run advised, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"How do you expect me to calm down?" the boy roared. "You're with Wild Hunt, right? You want to be friends with them, or something?"
Immediately, Run's gaze darkened, as he stated in an icy tone.
"Never! In fact, I even want to kill one of them! That's my goal."
" Huh ? " Said Wave.
"For what reason?" Kurome asked.
"It's… personal." Run answered simply.
"In any case, I think this can't continue." Wave assured, pretending to leave.
"Where are you going?"
"Until proven otherwise, the empire hired me to destroy evil! And Wild Hunt represents, right now, evil! So, I'm going to take care of it."
" Wave, we ..." Run started.
"Bols died fighting to the bitter end." Wave stopped him. "And for simply expressing her opinion, Wendy is on the hot seat! No way am I going to sit back and do nothing! I'll protect my friends."
However, seeing Kurome in front of him, he saw the latter stop him.
"Kurome, move over."
"There are seven of these guys! You'll never get them all to fight."
"I don't care! There are times when a man must take up arms, period! I don't need any further arguments."
Immediately, with Grand Chariot on his back, he ran out of the room.
"Wave!" Run tried to stop him, only to see the boy disappear into the distance.
Looking at him too, Kurome began to sigh. Then, swallowing a biscuit between her teeth, she ended up following her friend.
" Kurome ? "
"If that idiot goes off on his own, he'll get himself killed! I think someone needs to be there to protect him! And besides..."
Turning to Run, she stated.
"I too signed up to protect the evil empire."
Seeing her leave in turn, Run remained frozen, not knowing how to react to this. Of course, he too wanted to fight, as well as kill the man he had spent so much time looking for. However, without a real plan, this was only going to backfire on them.
" They're crazy! I have to stop them or else... "
" The second thing... is that you're going to lose! "
Stopping, Run remembered Gajeel's last words, during their last fight. Even though he said that, he had then collapsed because of his injuries. However, his gaze had shown that he would have been ready to do anything to continue fighting. That he would never have given up, even if he was half dead.
Those kind of people, fought in his place, without being afraid to die. And whether it was the Jaegers or Night Raid, all had a determination that could have surprised more than one.
Gritting his teeth immediately, Run finally threw his book behind him, before declaring.
"Damn it! For once, I'm going to do what my conscience tells me to do! I'm going to kill Champs."
Kicking a ball, Seryu sent it flying a little further, while children rushed to position themselves below to catch it. Seeing them playing a game of soccer, Wendy was content to watch them play, while she had taken advantage of Esdeath's absence to stay at the church for a while.
Seeing a child running towards her, the ball at his feet, Seryu decided to annoy him a little. Snatching the ball from him in an instant, she then performed various dribbles all around him, using footwork that prevented the boy from touching the ball again.
Lending her a hand, other children eventually surrounded the young woman only to realize that they were completely helpless.
"Hey, Onee-san! Don't keep the ball to yourself."
"Let us play, Onee-san."
"Huh?" Seryu said, with a small smile. "Still, I'll give you a chance! I only use one foot."
Still unable to do anything, the children turned to Wendy.
"Nee-chan! Come help us!"
"I'm bad with a ball at my feet," the child retorted. "Sorry!"
Finally, pretending to lose her balance, Seryu let a child take the ball from him, while he hurried off, followed by a good part of the gang.
Continuing to run, the child eventually found himself in front of a goal built using two pieces of wood where Koro resided, in his small form.
Having found himself in the goalkeeper's place, the teigu gestured his arms in front of him, while he tried to jump to make himself more impressive. However, this didn't intimidate the child in the least, who made a perfect pass to another child. Recovering the ball, the boy then shot towards the goal. Being forced to raise his arms in the air, Koro managed to grab the object.
However, the force of the shot was too powerful for his small size and the teigu ended up being carried away and entered the goal at the same time as the ball, to the laughter of the children.
"Haha! I'm stronger than Koro."
"The goal flew away."
Seeing them laughing, just like Seryu, Wendy could only feel comforted. This place had always managed to make her forget her sorrows when she came here. The orphans of this place were only children who only wanted to have fun with them and who saw the two girls as real big sisters. And now, Wendy adored them as much as Seryu adored them.
"Seryu seems to be in a very good mood."
Coming forward with a watering can in his hand, Mory had watched the game for a few minutes and had ended up sitting next to Wendy. From then on, he affirmed.
"I don't know how to thank you, Wendy."
"For what reason?"
"Thanks to you, Seryu now knows the whole truth! I knew that Ogre was a bad guy, but to kill his father...! But thanks to you, Seryu will now be able to return to the right path without being influenced by anyone! Wendy, for that alone, you deserve the blessing of the gods."
"It's nothing compared to what you do every day! You're an old priest and you're the only one taking care of this place and all these children! If I was able to help Seryu, you helped all these people."
"That has nothing to do with it! Wendy... the more I'm with you, the more I feel like you're a real angel! Yes, you're like someone who came from another world to make the misery of this country disappear."
"Oddly enough, that's kind of the case, " the child remarked.
Suddenly, crying was heard. Holding a doll whose head had been separated from the rest of its body, a young girl was sobbing while pointing at a young boy, with a scar over his right eye.
"What's wrong with him, Natashy?" Wendy asked.
"It's Timo! He broke my doll."
"Tsss!" the other child said simply.
"Timo, I already told you to stop bothering her." Mory said.
"I didn't do it on purpose." Timo mumbled. "Natachy stays in her corner all the time, playing with her doll! I just wanted her to come play with us."
At that moment, a metal fist fell on his head. Finding himself with a bump on his head, while holding back tears, Timo saw Seryu in front of him, who cried out.
"Timo, damaging other people's things is not right! If Natasha wanted to play with her doll, you don't have to force her to play with something else."
"Tsss! Anyway, Natachy is just a dirty crybaby."
"So what? Isn't it the role of boys to protect girls and not to bother them? You're a man, Timo, so you have to act like one! So, stop bothering yourself Natasha and apologize."
Looking away, Timo finally muttered.
" Sorry ! "
Then he ended up running away from the rest of the group.
"This isn't the first time I've noticed him causing some trouble." Wendy said.
"Timo is just a little troubled child looking for some attention," Mory explained. "From what I know about him, his father raised him to believe in using violence against women to get respect! Then, he ended up abandoning him! When he first came here, he started a lot of fights, thinking that would get him all the attention he wanted! It wasn't until he was all alone that he started to realize he was going about it the wrong way! Now, he's a little more outgoing, but sometimes he makes little mistakes, thinking he's doing the right thing! This time, he just wanted Natachy to play with them, but he went about it the wrong way."
"Anyway, none of these kids are bad." Seryu assured. "And I know they love each other and think of each other as brothers and sisters."
Watching them continue their game, Wendy eventually saw Natasha trying to fix her doll, but failing. Sniffling, she declared.
"Timo is just a bad guy."
"Natachy, do you want me to fix your doll?" Wendy asked.
" Huh ? Can you fix it, Nee-chan ? "
"I'll find someone in town to fix it," Wendy assured her. "But you'll have to lend it to me for a day."
"You... You'll give it back to me?"
"Of course! And it will be as good as new."
"In that case, okay."
Then picking up the broken doll, Wendy then heard Seryu state.
"It's time for our patrol, Wendy."
"No." The children said immediately, understanding that they were going to leave.
"Don't worry! We'll be back tomorrow." Wendy promised. "We'll just get some supplies to give you."
Finally, as Seryu put a leash around Koro's neck, Wendy waved goodbye to the children, before the two girls left.
Seeing them leave, Mory showed a small smile, while affirming.
"They will do it! Yes, they will change this empire."
"I'm not sure about that." A voice sneered from behind him.
Surprised, Mory turned around, only to immediately frown.
"You? But what do you want?"
Running alongside each other, Wendy and Seryu passed from street to street, without stopping. Seeing Seryu being in a bigger hurry than usual to get to the poor areas of the city, Wendy questioned her.
"What's wrong? Are you in a hurry to find Caruma?"
"Don't... Don't tease me about it! It's just that I promised to patrol with her! Nothing more!"
"Oh! In that case, maybe I should leave you two alone."
"Don't talk nonsense! We don't... We don't..."
Blushing then thinking back to Caruma's kiss, Seryu placed her hands on her cheeks, wondering.
"How am I supposed to react to her now?"
Chuckling, hearing her, Wendy suddenly noticed that there was something strange. Indeed, looking all around her, she quickly noticed that the popular streets were almost deserted. No one seemed to be in the mood to walk around town while all the houses were closed.
"It's so quiet."
"It's because of Wild Hunt." Seryu stated. "Ever since they got here, they've been terrorizing everyone."
"I've heard about them and I don't really want to meet them! However, I hope what people say about them isn't true! They're not a police force that really kills people."
"I hope so too." Seryu said, entering the slums.
Immediately, the two girls stopped, while placing their hands in front of their noses. The smell of smoke as well as that of charred flesh was omnipresent.
"What... What is that smell?"
Turning around, Seryu couldn't hide her surprise when she saw a pile of burnt wood, where the old district of this place was.
"What...? Everything burned?"
Continuing to advance more cautiously, the two girls soon noticed that this neighborhood was not the only one to have been affected by this strange plague. No matter where they went, almost all the houses had been burned, while this part of the city no longer seemed to contain a single living soul.
"What… What happened here?"
Stopping then, Seryu's eyes widened, seeing Niks' HQ as well as the abandoned restaurant where Caruma had taken up residence. Nothing but ashes remained of it.
"What…? Even here?"
"Was there a fire or something?" Wendy wanted to know.
"Where are all the townspeople?" Seryu asked. "Where is Caruma?"
"Everything… Everyone is dead."
Turning around, the two girls saw a young teenager, with large burns on a good part of her face, which she tried to hide with a green scarf. Recognizing the piece of fabric, Seryu cried out.
"Hey, but this is the scarf I gave to Caruma."
Immediately grabbing the stranger's arm, she asked.
"Where did you get that?"
Suddenly she saw that the scarf was all covered in blood.
"What...? Blood? What did you do to Caruma?"
"I… I didn't do anything to him." The girl cried, backing away. "I… I just found this scarf in a pool of blood."
"In a pool of blood?"
"Yes! They must have killed your friend, just like the others."
"Who are they?" Wendy wanted to know.
"The soldiers." The girl said.
As if suddenly seized by a wave of terror, she fell to her knees on the ground, all the while beginning to tremble.
"They came and destroyed everything! They destroyed our houses and then they killed everyone! They killed all the poor people in the city."
"What... What?"
"They came last night and set everything on fire! People started dying from the flames and those who had time to get out of the buildings were killed by the soldiers waiting for them outside! That's how everyone was executed! I was at home when everything happened and I saw what they were doing outside from a window! That's why I didn't want to leave! I preferred to be killed by the flames! However, the roof of my house suddenly collapsed on me, without crushing me, thus creating a shelter from the flames! That's how I was able to survive! Then, when I managed to get out of the rubble... everyone had already left and the bodies had been thrown into the flames."
Trembling even more, the young girl affirmed.
"It was horrible! And… and there were those guys! They are real monsters! Wild Hunt! They were the ones running everything."
"Wild… Hunt?" Wendy wondered! What… Why did they do that?
"They said they were here to get rid of all the vermin in the city."
"Caruma!" Seryu suddenly whispered, her gaze lowered.
Trembling in turn, she squeezed the young girl's arm tighter, while crying out.
"Where is Caruma? Tell me where is she?"
"I… She must be… "
"Dead? Impossible! Caruma can't be dead."
Seeing her start to attack this poor girl, Wendy thought it was a good idea to have her separated before things got out of hand. Falling to her knees, the stranger began to sob.
"I don't know! I don't even want to think about it anymore! I... I... it was horrible."
" Chut! It's over." Wendy assured her, placing her hands on the burns on her face to soothe them.
"Wild Hunt." The injured woman suddenly roared. "They... They... I must kill them! I must avenge my family and friends! I must avenge everyone they killed."
"You're not doing anything." Wendy retorted. "Listen, a few houses were spared by the flames! Go take shelter there and be as inconspicuous as possible, okay? We'll take care of Wild Hunt."
Unable to do anything but nod, the girl stood up, before running away. Once done, Wendy turned around to see Seryu in emotional shock.
"Caruma? Where is Caruma?"
"Seryu! We can't know where she is! But Caruma is smart! She was able to get out of it."
"Why did they attack this place? Why did they kill everyone?"
"I… I don't know." Wendy admitted. "Maybe they did it for…"
Suddenly seeing something in the sky, Wendy's body became paralyzed. Noticing this, Seryu turned around to simply display a shocked look.
" Impossible. "
In the distance, a column of smoke could be seen. A column that came from a place where only one building, somewhat isolated from the others, stood.
"The church! The church is on fire."