Over time, the Path of Peace grew far beyond what it once was.
What had begun as a small, close-knit group had grown into a formidable force with strong roots throughout the Empire's eastern borders.
Bit by bit, that entire region had fallen under its influence.
And under the watch of its core elders, they prepared for what it would cost.
"If you want peace, be ready for war."
It was no longer merely a proverb.
Consequently, the core members constructed their headquarters to serve as a fortress.
They wove their defenses, fortresses, secret strongholds, and lines of defense deep into the terrain, layer by layer.
At the outermost level was the general populace.
These were ordinary people like farmers, traders, and workers who were living in settlements that appeared no different from any other eastern village.
However, many of these areas were indirectly influenced by the organization.
Information naturally flowed upward, but some residents were aware of it and some weren't.
Outsiders entering these regions were easily noticed, even without obvious surveillance.
Beyond this layer was the outer circle.
The lower-ranking members of the organization worked here. This was where basic combatants, messengers, and scouts were stationed.
They were in charge of keeping an eye on movement, communicating across zones, and responding to minor threats.
It was challenging to target training areas and tiny operational centers all at once since they were dispersed rather than concentrated.
The inner circle was located further inside.
This layer had a lot more structure and control. Here, only reputable and trustworthy members were active. Stronger warriors, strategists, and specialized people were among them.
There were restrictions on access to this stratum. Movements were monitored, and entry needed recognition.
It was very hard to get to this level without being discovered, even if one was able to pass as an outer member.
Bane and Chelsea stood side by side in the devotee's attire with their arms raised.
Around them, a dozen guards had them locked down, guns and blades aimed straight at them and ready to act the second something felt off.
Then an older woman stepped forward with her calm and unreadable expression.
She pulled out a jade pendant, holding it close to her chest as she closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath.
A green beam of light shot across them after a short while.
She then opened her eyes and nodded slightly.
The guards lowered their weapons just slightly.
One of them gestured ahead.
They were cleared.
"Detection artifact," Bane muttered after some distance.
"Obviously," Chelsea said, tilting her head with a faint smirk. "Like those low-level toys could even compare to high-class Teigu."
Bane gave a small nod, then glanced at her. "If you can arrange identities and permits this easily through your network… then why don't you arrange our meeting with this 'lord'?"
A slight, resentful smirk appeared on Chelsea's face as her expression stiffened.
"We tried."
She dragged a finger lightly across her throat.
"All of them."
Her jaw clenched barely before she continued her voice lower now. "After that, Merraid-sama instructed us not to push any further… just observe and maintain distance."
'Hmm… so Merraid isn't that invested in this 'lord.' Otherwise, something like this wouldn't stop her. 'Either that… or the risk just isn't worth it yet. She's waiting for the right moment… or something bigger.'
Bane exhaled, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "I don't think it's as simple as it looks… So who was it?"
Chelsea was quick to uncover the perpetrator.
"Bolic."
"So, this organization's top official, is it?" Bane asked, recalling basic intel on one of the upper figures within the Path of Peace.
"Nah. Instead, he's someone who has taken the position of one and is Honest's man," she corrected him.
"He did it?"
"More accurately... his bodyguards did for him under Honest's command," she said after a quick look ahead.
Her voice became slightly more somber.
"The Kouken Temple's Rakshasa Demons."
At that, Bane's eyes widened slightly.
"That fat bastard is really putting a lot of weight behind this organization huh."
"Yeah," Chelsea replied, her tone flat. "Which is exactly why we're interested in it too."
A sudden rush of memories slammed into him.
"Those bastards… weren't they the ones sent after Oarburg years ago?"
How could he not recognize that name?
The Rakshasa Demons were the personal executioners of prime minister Honest.
His blades.
And Bane knew that better than most.
At that slaughterhouse of a battlefield…
How those monsters had nearly wiped out half the members of the world's top assassination group, the Oarburg.
The group included dangerous individuals, such as Gozuki, a former Rakshasa, who was as dangerous as Merraid if not more in some aspects.
And that was the first time he saw them, when he was just a teen and a nobody in the revolutionary army.
A useful but sacrificial pawn nonetheless.
His first real assignment had been simple on paper, which was to observe, assist and extract the assassination squad of Oarburg.
But that was before he had obtained his Teigu.
Before he understood just how meaningless his regenerative ability was in front of them. How foolish he had been back then.
There wasn't even room for despair.
Because despair requires comparison. It means you have to believe you're standing on the same level as your enemy.
And he was….not even close.
They were all just cannon fodder, or perhaps even less significant.
The sheer gap in strength and talent between him and those people had made his soul lose hope.
But by the time he and his squad mates snapped back to reality, the battle… was already over.
Bodies were spread all over the place and the ground was covered in blood.
The worst part was that most of the Oarburg members were already dead.
He and his team barely managed to save a few including Merraid and some others by creating a heavy distraction.
But it came at a cost.
Most of his squadmates were killed by the Rakshasa Demons and the imperial forces.
He survived only because he had been assigned elsewhere, away from the main battlefield.
That was the first time he had seen Akame.
By the time he arrived, the girl was already unconscious and covered in blood and mud after her final fight with Merraid.
"Hmph! … no wonder the boss is so obsessed with you," Chelsea sneered. "You saved her like some damsel in distress."
"I would've saved you too if you were there."
"Hah! like you would."
"What? You wanna be saved like that too? Want me to show up like some prince on a horse and rescue you from your big boss?" Bane shot back.
"..."
For a moment there was still silence.
He turned to look at her….only to find Chelsea facing the other way.
But he didn't miss it.
The faint redness on her ears.
'Wait, this lass...does she actually want something like that?'
For a second, he was genuinely thrown off.
It didn't fit Chelsea.
Someone like her, someone who kills people with a smile or a hint of remorse.
and she's got a wish like that?
…Seriously?
Nah, Bane wasn't about to tease her for it.
This girl would straight up kill him…..literally.
Instead, his thoughts drifted back to Merraid.
He had seen it with his own eyes.
Merraid should have been dead.
In that battlefield.
Her head was completely severed by Akame.
There was no surviving that.
And yet…
Something had happened afterward.
After Akame had collapsed, and he was checking Merraid's body, one of her bug-like creatures suddenly grabbed onto him, its claw sinking into his skin and pulling his blood.
His blood had dropped on her corpse.
And somehow…
She came back from the dead before his very eyes.
Even now, he couldn't make sense of it.
How the hell did she digest the hydra's poison and somehow turn it into a freakin' revive elixir, basically bringing herself back, without it melting or killing her?
It just didn't make sense.
Bane let out a quiet huff, snapping out of his thoughts.
He shook his head slightly.
"Forget it… where do we head next—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Something brushed against his senses from behind.
Bane didn't react openly.
Instead, he let a bangle slip from his wrist and bent down as if to pick it up, just as something passed through the space where his head had been.
*woosh*
When he straightened, his gaze settled on the man a few steps away.
The person liable was a tall, muscular man in his middle years who was wearing a red and white robe, which belonged to a high-ranking official in the Path of Peace.
And he was clearly irritated.
He had missed his target.
Or more precisely, Bane who was currently disguised as a rather lovely woman, courtesy of Chelsea's Teigu, Gaea Foundation.
Why a woman instead of a man you ask?
Chelsea's logic was that, even in a place crawling with dangerous women, people still subconsciously saw them as less of a threat than men and she only got identification passes for women…or she was just screwing with him as usual.
A second later, footsteps closed in around them.
A group of young women in white robes came together to form a loose circle, positioning themselves almost as if by instinct.
Veils mostly covered their faces, and their posture and gentle features made it clear they were very attractive, even though only a little of their fair skin was visible. These weren't trained fighters.
Their steps weren't purposeful, the distance between them was all over the place, and their eyes were just a bit too vague.
A light, sweet smell lingered in the air, just barely detectable.
Bane caught it instantly.
Chelsea did too.
Their eyes met for a split second.
There were no words, and they didn't need any.
'…Figures.'
Bane exhaled quietly, his expression flat.
He looked at the man eying him with a lecherous gaze barely hiding his disgusting intent.
'My shitty luck.'
He glanced at Chelsea.
She looked back at him, a hint of distaste crossing her face before she gave an imperceptible blink.
{Guess which motherfaker is here?
Also a quick author note for you guys :
Yeah… some of you probably noticed (or didn't, which is fair because my update timing is honestly terrible), but there are already a bunch of divergences from the original story.
Like Merraid, for example, yeah, she was supposed to die… but she didn't here. And she's not the only one. A few other characters have also taken a different turn.
If you were paying close attention, there were hints scattered in this chapter.
So yeah, we have already stepped into AU territory long ago.
And if you didn't catch it yet, no worries, you'll definitely see it unfold more clearly in the upcoming chapters.
That's all for now. Have a good day.
P.S- tell me if there are any mistakes in this chapter}