"I am the fang of the Death God Oarburgh..."
Damn it!
That seductive, enchanting female voice approached from afar, yet it stirred not a hint of desire within Najasho. Instead, his heart leapt into his throat, every muscle tightening like a bowstring. The illusion of we can counterattack, we can win shattered instantly.
The Oarburgh assassination syndicate—named after the mythic Death God Oarburgh—was a long-standing organization of killers. Throughout history, countless infamous assassinations were attributed to them.
Their creed was simple: good or evil made no difference; as long as one could pay, they accepted any contract. Yet in recent decades, they had begun to show signs of aligning with the southern Revolutionary Army.
Each major member possessed their own ritual chant. And the one who had just spoken belonged to none other than—Merraid Oarburgh, the current leader of the Oarburgh assassination syndicate.
She was the same woman who had gravely wounded and driven back their "Father," and annihilated the Imperial Assassination Unit's western stronghold.
"Damn it! Akame, Cornelia, Poney, Guy, Tsukushi—plans changed! Retreat, now!" Najasho roared.
"Trying to flee? Too late!"
As Najasho shouted his command, a brief lapse in focus appeared—and Babara seized the moment. Enduring both Guy and Akame's attacks with her formidable body, she caught the Water-Dragon Sword with one arm and pivoted, driving a brutal kick straight into Najasho's chest.
Boom!
Najasho jammed the Water-Dragon Sword into the ground before him to halt his momentum, sliding backward across the dirt. Even with the Shingu's dragonification effect, his insides churned violently.
"Najasho!" Guy shouted in alarm.
"Perish!" Akame stepped forward, her voice cold as ice. She slashed upward with Kiriichimonji, covering Najasho's retreat.
"Hmph!" Babara grunted, abandoning her pursuit of the fallen Najasho to meet Akame's charge. Her massive sword swung in a wide arc, the air whistling around its edge.
Moments earlier, Babara had chosen to block only her vital points, taking several of Akame's cuts in order to crush Najasho. But even she couldn't continue enduring those wounds for long.
After all, the Shingu Kiriichimonji prevented wounds from closing quickly. Even with Babara's powerful physique and her body-control techniques to suppress bleeding, she was approaching her limit.
"You little brat! I'll offer you first to my blade!"
Akame, however, said nothing—her crimson eyes focused solely on Babara's heart as she struck again and again.
Clang! Clang! Clang~
The two created a web of steel before them. Blades flashed, sparks burst, and the air itself trembled under the clash.
"Cough... Akame, don't get caught up fighting! We need to—" Najasho's warning was cut short by a new sound.
Clack... clack...
Soft footsteps echoed.
Two figures emerged from the shadows—maids, both clad in black-and-white uniforms. One of them, strangely, possessed four arms.
Ignoring the two maids, Najasho scanned his surroundings. His bloodshot, dragon-like pupils locked onto a shadowy corner beyond the flames.
"I am the fang of the Death God Oarburgh... the Blade of Impermanence. Let me guide you to eternal rest in the underworld."
The speaker showed no fear that her 'prey' might escape, nor any concern for the deaths of her subordinates. Her tone was calm—almost lazy.
Then came the sound of clapping from beyond the firelight. A tall, voluptuous woman stepped into view, accompanied by a suited Daniel.
Holding a purple parasol, the woman's outfit was revealing and charged with sensual allure. Her long, pale violet hair flowed down to her waist, her purple eyes gleamed with confidence, and a tear mole beneath her left eye accentuated her strikingly seductive beauty.
"Merraid Oarburgh!" Najasho spat, his voice low and cold.
The leader of the Oarburgh assassination syndicate—the most powerful adversary the Imperial Assassination Unit had faced in a century. Her ability allowed her to control insect-type Danger Beasts through sheer will.
Merraid cast a brief, disinterested glance at Najasho and clapped her hands lightly. "Gilberda, Cassandra—retrieve Taeko."
At her command, the two maids moved instantly. The air whistled as they dashed forward, pulling the battered Taeko from Cornelia's relentless assault.
At that moment, Babara broke away from her clash with Akame and retreated to Merraid's side. "Leader, what are your orders? Are you—uhh..."
Babara's words trailed off as she noticed Merraid's flushed cheeks, the faint glimmer of moisture at the corner of her mouth, and the soft, almost sensual hum escaping her lips. The corner of Babara's eye twitched.
The boss' old habit again...
Turning her gaze toward the Imperial Assassination Unit's Elite Seven standing across from them—four of whom were distinctly cute girls—Babara could already guess the reason.
After all, Merraid Oarburgh was a bona fide lover of women.
As the leader of the Oarburgh assassination syndicate, Merraid held little desire for power or wealth. The only things she truly loved—the only things she cherished—were girls. Cute girls. Beautiful girls.
To her, the most precious treasures in the world were girls. And only the bond between girls, she believed, was the one and only truth of existence.
She was firmly convinced that love between women was pure love—while men existed solely for the purpose of reproduction.
Those who had known Merraid long enough were used to this behavior. No one in the Oarburgh syndicate was surprised anymore when their leader became excited in battle upon encountering cute girls.
Even her two personal maids, Gilberda and Cassandra, had been... drawn into her world.
It could be said that aside from the older generation, nearly every newer member of the Oarburgh syndicate had, to some degree, been influenced by Merraid's preferences.
If Selene were still living her previous life, she might've sighed, "Ah, the beauty of yuri is boundless—but alas, it bears no fruit!"
But now? Such nonsense! She had far more important matters—military affairs to handle, and scheming old politicians to outmaneuver!
"You all, stand down. Do not interfere. They are my prey!"
"Hahh... hahh..." Merraid handed her golden-threaded parasol to her maid, Gilberda, breathing heavily as her flushed face and trembling legs betrayed her growing excitement.
Her violet eyes—so vivid they seemed to drip with desire—locked onto the group before her.
Exhaling softly, her voice rich with seduction, Merraid bit her fingertip and whispered with intoxicating allure, "Well then, my darlings... are you ready? Because I'm coming for you..."