Chapter 64: Reign of Queens

Akame PoV

There are three realizations between us.

First, she doesn't have the physical or magical means to stop me. Second, my summons aren't as numerous or equal in strength. The third is my stamina isn't unlimited.

I can't read Salem's thoughts, but she has the same realization, but slightly different.

I have no means to put her down permanently even when I cut her into hundreds of pieces. The Grimm I summon are finite. Yet, she can't stop me from running away or interfering.

It is an exercise in futility.

The battle was intense. I activate Fatal Gambit without a second thought. I'm here to protect Ruby so thus the trigger is all I need. The world moved in slow-mo. The witch launched more lightning strikes from both the sky and her palms. I slip between them like the wind.

I bisected her body just as fast.

Both halves of her body attacked. The left arm turns into a hammer and the right arm becomes a bladed whip. I slash the whip and take the brute force of the hammer. My bones scattered and reformed in that instant.

I summoned a King Taijiu beneath her.

She did the same.

We slice through them with no effort, absorbing each other's creations.

Azazel roars in anger as it once again slams into the ground.

"Is someone inside that thing?" I ask Salem, slicing both legs off and slitting her throat," Who is it?"

"I'm not answering who," She spoke with a deep cut in her neck. She reformed her lower body immediately followed by the dress to cover up those pale legs.

I sidestep a wall of fire and parried shards of earth and ice coming at me like machine gun bullets. A single hit from one of those shards will go right through my body. I behead Salem again and crop/slash at the head. I cut it into pieces and cut those pieces.

I retreat once again when blade tentacles swarm out of her body. It frays around wildly before returning.

After a while, it became a pattern where I killed her, and she came back. I easily dodged, parried, and blocked any form of attack. No matter the intensity or tricks. Then, I kill her again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

And again.

Salem stood back up like I hadn't killed her 20 times in 3 mins.

"Nineteen times," She smirked," The 20th doesn't count because I healed before the ever-distant feeling reached me."

I'm starting to understand her frustration when I'm counting off deaths.

"Four million deaths? It's only fair if you kill me as much as I killed—," I rushed forward and kicked her jaw off.

21 deaths.

She reformed and continued speaking.

"As I said before, you rudely interrupted me. You're free to reach that number but only one of us is held down by biology. I know you don't have immortality. You're tired and once you're weak enough, I'll toy with you before sending you off to that ceremony of yours. As a failure of a huntress."

She's right. I can't fight her forever even if I was at 100%.

I can put Ruby on my back and make a run for it. Unfortunately, I can't retreat without saving Umber and my friends. Salem got us all trapped. Are there reinforcements coming to save us?

I'm not sure. I told Shay about the rescue mission and the general direction, but everyone was still too busy mopping up the last of the resistance.

I ordered one of my Grimms to take her away, but they got destroyed pretty quickly. She planned by having some of the Grimm form a large perimeter.

Another one of my Grimm gets taken down. More fall in rapid succession, unable to return. I need to figure out how to remediate this issue. I still have one more batch to use. I've only been using the wild Grimm I absorbed over the years.

I command a pack of Beowulf to guard Ruby's unconscious body.

The witch still got the number advantage even after depositing most of them in the Academy. She somehow called forth wild Grimm to aid her. Meanwhile, I have not practiced with this part of my power. I focus on personal battle prowess and my semblance above all else.

I'll test out this summon ability another time.

I'm not going to thank that bastard in space. Because this ability put me one step closer to that ending.

She attempted to impale me on black spikes.

That failed.

I cut one to hurl it into her face.

22 deaths.

I mindlessly dodge, kill, and absorb some of her Grimm. Yet my Grimm's are being destroyed quicker than I can absorb. I have to physically touch them to begin the process.

Damn it! I can't free Ruby. Salem and her forces are keeping me from doing so.

The mantises we came on are now grounded. The pilots, Copper included, thankfully are still alive and hopping on the machine guns.

They're doing a great job taking down flyers.

It cost NR and my friends that much to destroy those wings again. The skies are no longer safe. Even the summons and my effort still have a few Grimm slipping through.

I glance over at their fight and they're holding it off well enough despite Night Raid still being newbies without proper leadership. Melanie is doing a great job of commanding them.

They were shocked and fearful at first when red bone-plated Grimm joined them, but focused on holding off that creature and stray enemies.

I have a lot of explaining to do. If they make it out of here alive.

Ozpin is going to be livid with me for telling them but who cares? In normal circumstances, He would be giddy with excitement to have someone like me under his thumb.

I try punching a hole through Salem, again. I yank my hand back because her chest cavity turns into a mouth with razor-sharp teeth.

She just stalling and insulting me.

They need to hurry up and kill 'Azazel'.

I glance over at their battle.

Azazel is stalling too. It bided its time instead of going for the kill. If the professional huntsmen were still alive, this battle would be over by now. I can't switch with them. Salem is going to slaughter my friends beside Vernal.

Huh? My sneakiest friend and bodyguard aren't on the field. It is to be expected. Except, how did they disappear?

Where is Vernal and May?

"The Spring Maiden is so pesky even when she isn't actively fighting," The witch growled.

"How?"

"I can't create a storm to smite all of you nor send a sandstorm," She revealed," Her magical presence is stopping it. Where is she?"

I disarmed her for the 15th time.

"How would I know?" That girl could pull off non-existent with how hard it is to track her.

"Tell me, Shinigami, Akame, or any name you go by," She glared. The tendrils on her back attacked me," How did your friend gain magic outside of his fragments?"

How did she gain magic? Does it have something to do with the change in outfit and hair color?

"That's new," I bisected her from shoulder to waist.

My breath caught in my throat as the aching in my limbs increased.

I heard a scream. I looked over at the battle and saw Copper's aura break. Melanie dragged him away before he got further cooked by the fire. The Mantis exploded soon after.

I'm losing this battle. She is here to exhaust us and then pick us off one by one. A wasteful yet sadistic way of fighting.

Vernal…Just reveal yourself. Go all out! Turn the immediate area into molten lava and bury this witch halfway through the crust.

I need you to do something!

"I'll let your comrade live if you let me have that child," She pointed at the girl. My Beowulf's formed a tighter formation," If not? There will be only two survivors."

The world fades into black and white.

I won't let anyone else die!

"Now I'm ready!" Vernal screamed and appeared from seemingly nowhere.

A wall of ice blocks my path, followed by it expanding into a dome. It appears large enough to cover a whole city block.

"Sorry to keep everyone waiting," She smiled innocently, floating next to me," What's the plan?"

Vernal extended both hands to hold the barrier in place.

My mind raced. The icey dome shook violently, hairline fractures appearing everywhere.

Salem wants to kidnap Ruby for her eyes and kill my friends in front of me.

All for what?

Is she trying to get me to despair? Become depressed despite my accomplishments? Maybe make me vow blind vengeance against her to the point I'm emotionally compromised?

A scenario flashed through my head where most if not all of Night Raid got wiped out. They're the first to go down because Copper isn't a great fighter but a better doctor. Brawnz is decent but needs a lot of training. May is my next strongest, but she is somehow not here and isn't meant for closer quarters.

Sun and Cali would have helped out a lot but one isn't here and the other…

Melanie is an international accident waiting to happen if she dies here. Umber would tear my heart out and a bit of my morality if I lost her again. I can't imagine how crushed Militia would be. She still cares for both of them.

Vernal clapped her hands together before the ice dome could break. It compressed down into a floating sphere but she wasn't finished. She rubbed both palms together and the ice sphere, now with a black core, started moving on the inside. A fragment of rocks and a long metallic rod inside.

"What the," I blinked in disgust, the action finally becoming clear.

"Spill it out before Salem gets used to being blended," She winced, the sphere of ice cracking and reforming as the witch inside tried to break out. I catch hints of limbs, faces, and other body parts in that disturbing concoction.

I snapped back to reality, ignoring the Salem smoothie.

"You fight Salem, I fight Azazel, and I'll order everyone to make a run for it with Ruby in tow, got it!"

"Understood," The spring maiden affirmed. A jet of fire shoots out of the icey sphere. I blocked it and Vernal reinforced it once again.

"Vernal," I looked back," Ignore Salem's words. She is a master manipulator."

"I will-"

I didn't get to hear the second affirmation before I was upon Azazel.

The pilot has been crushed beneath its hooves. The first casualty beside the other huntsmen and Cali. Its size is imposing yet it was fast enough to dodge the sword approaching its neck. I kept on attacking but those long arms kept me at bay. Until a powerful swing sent skidding across the sand.

"Night Raid! Umber! Spoiled brat," I lowered my tone," New battle plan. Vernal and I will handle everything from here."

"Before we go," Copper limped forward," You owe all of us an explanation of what the hell is going on!"

Brawnz seems hesitant, too. That's a first. He has always been the one with the most loyalty for me.

"What are you?" Brawnz grimaced with his fist clenched tightly.

"We have known each other for a year, my friends and comrades," I bought up," I'm still the same, just with a few hidden powers. I'll explain everything ranging from our true enemy, magic, and my summons."

"I can confirm she's still the same girl and not a skinwalker," Umber stepped forward. She fought off Azazel on her own for a while.

Melanie stood cross-armed. She is already in the know because of her mother.

The remnant of Night Raid is in poor condition. Brawnz looked like he was about to collapse from his injuries. Copper got 1st and 2nd degree burns. Only, Melanie and Umber are holding up pretty well.

Azazel launches a stream of fire which I dispel with an aura slash from the flick of my wrist.

One of my Grimm approached. A red-plated beowulf carried Ruby on its back and did a small bow to Night Raid.

I summoned the last bit of Grimm I had inside of me and told them to trust my summons. They will break through the perimeter and head southward. Night Raid all went along with my plan. It isn't like they have a better option besides dying here. Brawnz told me May has been picking off Grimm the entire time.

On cue, A deathstalker got its eyes shot out. I guessed the location and spotted a shadow on a distant dune. Even further back than the rows of Grimm keeping us boxed in. I tilted my head to avoid a bullet going through my skull. Yep, That's my sniper.

"We would have died without her," Brawnz gave the thumbs up at our distant sniper.

"Please, Stay alive, all of you," I give my final order as I watch them and the last of my summons charge away.

Except for these two insubordinate idiots.

I yelled at them to leave with the boys, but they gave me two similar reasons for not running.

"Like hell!" Melanie swears and snaps her finger. Azazel's foot got stabbed through by a green spike," As if I let you show me up!"

"We ride or die together, sis," Umber cut an X across the Grimm's torso. She backflipped away when lightning and fire threatened to burn her," And I don't trust the criminal princess and her majesty not to do something treacherous or stupid."

"Shut it, Umber!" Vernal and Melanie shouted together.

We all leaped away as Azazel slammed down between us. Any further argument wasn't abandoned. We just started arguing while fighting the Grimm.

"How's your shouting match with mommy?" Umber blocked a backkick from Azazel.

I came for its neck one more time, but I was pushed back just by its screams.

"That's none of your concern, rat," She caught Umber with her strings. She halted a boarbatusk, dragged it in front of her, and fired it at Azazel," I just used two semblances. Do you even have your own?"

She dragged even more Grimm toward her and used them as projectiles against its brethren surging forward.

"Bitch, I don't need one to kick your ass. The cheat code of a semblance makes you look weaker," Umber shot down a flying Grimm without taking her eyes off Azazel," I know you gotta act like a little sweetheart like your sister to consensually gain semblance. No wonder you have to take acting and etiquette classes. A damn faker is what you are."

They fought among themselves as often as they fought Salem Grimm. Meanwhile, it's my turn to hold off Azazel.

"How about both of you leave?" I told them. These two need to run now before my summoned Grimm gets annihilated.

"No," They said at once.

The world shook as two magical beings fought one another in the atmosphere. The sky darkened as those two engaged, disengaged, and threw magical/elemental projectiles at each other. The clouds temporarily depart and reform every time they clash.

It's a good thing Salem decided to fight fair against me for some reason. I'm not confident I could do anything to her if she stayed afloat. It also means it is easy for me to see an attack coming. She can rain down magic projectiles and I'll just avoid it.

The difference between a fastball from a pitcher's plate and a bat being swung at someone's head.

"You're all a pain to deal with," I growled.

"Akame!" Vernal yelled.

I lifted my sword and braced the flat of the blade in her direction. She used it to kick off of me and dart right through Salem.

Sadly, the witch is unkillable.

"Vernal is more of a help than you two!" I fired back.

Those two looked at each other and nodded.

Melanie's red strings materialized out of nowhere and held one of Azazel's arms. Umber cut off the other.

I rolled my eyes and leaped forward. The Grimm leaned back and brought a leg up to kick me. I slashed its leg and damaged its torso. I came for its head, avoiding being directly in front of its mouth this time. This time, the body shoots needle-like spikes. I retreated before any of them hit me.

The stump where its arm withered and spouted tentacles.

The other arm flexed and broke free of the strings.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Huntress of hopelessly going for the neck," Melanie teased," There the body, why not cut it?!"

I sighed.

"Even more useless with that semblance," She sneered.

Azazel is strong. It reacts to attacks that can top the perception of people capable of dodging bullets. If it was a normal Alpha, even Salem, that Grimm should have died by now.

There is a person in there and beheading is the quickest and most painless way to end their nightmare. Even now, I can still hear them begging to be freed, but what am I supposed to do after?

The trauma of what they went through guaranteed they will never be the same. Assuming there is a body left to call a body. They sound so broken.

"Mercy," I uttered under my breath.

"You better hurry up and kill whatever that shit is. That thing and the witch's never gonna stop even if we retreat," Umber struck down more of our enemies.

"Our main objective was to save Ruby and we accomplished it," I explained," Salem wanted me and Vernal alive to further destabilize this peace."

We evaded more attacks from Azazel. Those tentacles whipped at us faster than the sound barrier.

"So the right course of action is to leave you two," Melanie replied.

"Yes."

The creature screeched and it back started to morph. It grew six insect/spider legs. It uses it to push itself off the ground and walk on it. It towers over us even more. A whole two stories of legs for us to even reach it.

I still have Fatal Gambit active and it does leave my body valuable. I could regenerate but it is better to avoid wounds in the first place. It drains my vitality, which I still need to conserve. We still need to deal with Salem or retreat.

I could cut through the legs. Melanie glared at me. She knew I could handle it on my own but didn't want to let it happen. She might get in the way, putting both of us at risk. I know how to handle her.

"Still no," Umber motioned," That never was in my dictionary. I took a bullet for you and will keep doing so. I couldn't care less about the devil."

She almost died from it if my mother didn't drop her off. Dad is medically trained. He has advanced medical supplies at home and taught us how to use them.

"Weak," Melanie rolled away from an attack," Instead of going for an instant kill, how about we cripple it first."

"It regenerated," I slash a wild Grimm," And my forces are dwindling. We will exhaust ourselves if we don't one-shot the thing."

It is harder now that it has kept the neck away from me. I could send an aura slash. Maybe knock it off balance and then go for the kill.

"I got an idea," Melanie and I said at the same time. I predicted she wanted to come up with a plan but didn't know what.

We look at each other and silently offer the other to go first. We sighed and rolled our eyes. She doesn't want to go first. It's valid because I have no plan that involves us working together.

"SAY IT!" Umber evaded the spider-like legs as it tried to tap-dance her to death.

"Cut the legs," Melanie bent down and materialized those shared-damage darts," More combined semblance, Shared damaged affinity, and weak point darts."

She reached into the pocket of her dress and placed a small firedust crystal inside of each dart. The dust sinks inside the darts.

"Finally, I'll behead it," I finished.

"Go center mass," Melanie rolled her eyes," And stop with that fixation to behead it."

A handful of wild Grimm came at us but Umber cut them down.

"I'll keep the small fry off your back," She huffed," Get it done."

The plan is set and we all know our roles.

It started with ten small, pigeon-sized nevermore attacking its face. Those Grimm aren't mine but Melanie tricked them. She mentioned implanting illusions on Grimm. A flayed around and she took the opportunity to run up its legs. She stuck the darts between the joints, hopped to the next leg, and repeated the process.

Once she did one side, She used strings to swing around to the other three legs. She gracefully landed with a cutesy bow.

"And now fall," She uttered and the darts exploded. Melanie blew off all six legs at the same time.

I leap forward and then up.

It wasn't done falling when my blade cut into its neck.

I landed, not as gracefully as Melanie. The Grimm fell with a loud thud, its legs and severed head fading away. I took a quick knee to catch my breath. I didn't feel exhausted but understood I was tired. My movements have slowed down even in my enhanced state.

I can relax a bit.

It's dead.

I give a silent prayer, the only time I will, for the girl inside to be set free.

"AND STAY DOWN!" Umber rushed forward. She was about to stomp down on its torso, maybe stab into it to hasten the disappearance.

I was going to tell her to focus on the other Grimm first until I looked around.

Oh?

She killed all of them except the flying ones. I checked her aura and noticed how faint it was. The sweat on her face and the shakiness of her body. Umber fought hard and fast. She's 16 years old and took down more Grimm than a team of 1st year Academy students at initiation. As expected of my sparring partner.

I turned around to check in on Vernal and her fight. She's stalling just fine. Salem opened her mouth but Vernal childishly stuck both fingers in her ears. That girl is blowing a raspberry too even if I can't see it from here.

Yep, She's handling it. Now we just back her up and force Salem to retreat.

'I want to see my-,' I twisted myself around and ran full force.

It's not dead!

I saw her head in the corner of my eye.

The head dissolved into nothing. There wasn't anything inside it. The spider legs dissolved, but the other limbs and body remained.

"UMBER!" I shouted. She couldn't stop because she was already descending on the monster.

The body twitched and I knew what was coming next.

The spikes erupted out of the body. It came close to impaling Umber but I made it in time. I push my sister out of the way, dropping my sword in the process.

She slid along the sandy surface unharmed.

It took a while to feel the pain. It wasn't until my semblance turned off that I felt all of it. I can hear the screams. I want to look up. I want to tell them to run and I'll be fine. Salem wouldn't let me die here.

Puncture wounds.

There is one on my left leg, at the shin.

The right leg is cut and a puncture on the thigh.

Another pierced my stomach and another in my chest.

I tried to speak but nothing came out because there was one in my neck.

I reach for the spike in my neck and try to break it off. It was hard to grip. The spike felt slippery. I saw the mass of black beneath me and my blood cascading down toward it. I look at my hand to confirm the truth. My healing is at its limit. I've been at my limit all day.

'My rose…Where is she?'

You're Rose? Are you Summer…Rose?

Ruby's mom went missing a few years after I killed Sky's uncle. I didn't suspect it at first but that cry was enough to confirm it. Salem, You sick and deprived monster! I won't die here. I can't die.

Ah-It doesn't hurt anymore.

I killed my mother and Ruby's mom got me.

Heh…ha…ha…

I deserve this.

My vision darkened no matter how hard I tried to stay awake.

This is poetic justice.

A/N: It would be cruel if I stopped posting for a long while and left on such a cliffhanger. Akame should have listened and gone for the body. Another scrap of content was that Akame was supposed to fight Beaufort, but I needed to condense everything.

The Grimm, Azazel, wasn't going to be Summer Rose originally. I'm sure she's a Hound in canon and if not, well, damn. This is fanfiction but I will be annoyed if that isn't the case. Azazel is capable of shape-shifting, constantly adapting, and faking her death. I would even go as far as to say it's a placeholder name like how I never describe or name the Summer Maiden.

It is a hyper-intelligent Grimm that keeps no bone plates or protection on its head. She expects a competent huntress/huntsman to go for the weak spot. Akame got outwitted by it. There is a way for Akame to fix her limited stockpile of Grimm and that is by going to the source.

Solo Leveling S2 ep 9 is so good I almost cried.

I'm basically done with the story at this point. I'm debating on one or two more chapters.