"...I'm coming for you..."
Though Merraid's tone was soft and teasing, dripping with sensual allure and devoid of overt killing intent, Najasho felt his entire body shudder. The Water-Dragon Sword's dragonification effect had sharpened his instincts far beyond a normal human's—and what he sensed now was pure, primal terror, like being watched by a Super-class Danger Beast.
Run. They had to run. Now.
"Everyone, fall back!" he shouted, not caring about pride or appearances. He slammed his foot into the ground and bolted in the opposite direction.
"You're being naughty... a hunt, hmm? I love hunts."
Merraid ran a painted purple fingernail along her lips, and in the blink of an eye, her figure vanished.
...
Watching her leader gleefully indulge in her 'big bad wolf chasing little rabbit' routine, Babara said nothing, simply turning to Daniel beside her.
"What are you doing here? Where's Chelsea? And why is the leader back?"
"With all this commotion, I had to come check it out," Daniel replied calmly. "Chelsea's with the main force at camp."
"The leader just returned from the western frontier. Judging by her mood, she's frustrated. According to the intel Chelsea gathered while disguised, Esdeath has already repelled the Western Kingdom's invasion."
Daniel frowned. "Speaking of which, the Western Kingdom's behavior lately... it's strange. They've always ignored the Revolutionary Army—yet now, suddenly, they're cozying up to us and even taking the initiative to attack the Empire..."
"This is too suspicious." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Oh, give it a rest, Daniel. You think too much. Don't you ever get tired of it?" Babara interrupted, visibly annoyed.
Daniel gave a small chuckle. Despite being rejected decades ago, his feelings for Babara had never faded.
"Fine, fine. Not the time for that," he said at last. "But I still think the leader should take a few captives alive for interrogation." His gaze shifted toward the direction Merraid had vanished.
"Hmph! You've already decided, haven't you? But... yeah. Snatching a few prisoners to disgust that old bastard Gozuki doesn't sound bad," Babara muttered, tightening the bandage around her arm.
"Let's go. I imagine the leader's finished already. This mission's dragged on long enough."
...
Bang!
"Come and get me, you monster!" Najasho roared as he ran, teeth clenched. The three-minute enhancement of the Water-Dragon Sword had long expired, leaving him fully reverted to human form.
Though Dr. Stylish's custom combat drug dulled the pain, the exhaustion was overwhelming. His body screamed with every step; his pace faltered.
Najasho knew it—he was slowing them down. If they were to survive, all hope now rested on Green's hidden contingency plan.
If not... he'd have to stay behind and buy his comrades time to escape.
Green, you bastard... this better work. His eyes darted to the carved marks on a nearby tree.
Suddenly—shhk!
A sharp, purple-tinted claw pierced straight through Najasho's chest. Blood sprayed through the air in crimson mist.
"Sorry, but I never go easy on men... oh, and what was that you called me just now?" Merraid's sultry voice cooed behind him, her form materializing like a phantom.
Blood dripped onto the damp leaves below. Najasho's body collapsed, his breath fading away.
The remaining five members of the Elite Seven stared in shock, pupils trembling. "Najasho!"
They had sworn to live together—to rise together. Yet the first to fall... was their strongest, their Number One.
"Najasho! I'll kill you!" Poney screamed, tears streaming down her face. She lashed out in blind rage, delivering a sweeping kick toward Merraid's lower body.
"Poney!" Cornelia clenched her teeth, halting mid-step. "Crushing King—activate!" She thrust her silver gauntlet forward, the force splitting the air as a violent vortex shot toward Merraid's face.
"Why resist, hmm? Wouldn't it be easier to surrender to me...?" Merraid purred, her voice dripping with dangerous delight. "Big sister promises to show you the true bliss of this world..."
With a faint smile on her lips, Merraid effortlessly caught both Cornelia and Poney's attacks, overpowering them with sheer, overwhelming strength and locking the two in place.
"Perish!"
The blade sang as Akame stepped forward, her foot pressing into the ground, dead leaves scattering into the air. Her blade flashed like frost as she swung toward Merraid's swanlike neck.
Releasing the unconscious Cornelia and Poney, Merraid remained calm, whispering softly, "Crawl, my darlings."
Bzzzzz—!
Akame's blade was instantly covered in purplish-black spots, her body freezing in place. Looking down, she realized the ground beneath her feet was writhing with the same purple-black mass. "This is... insects!?"
"Correct! And your reward will come soon... sleep now, my sweet." Merraid's tone was teasing as she struck Akame's neck with the edge of her hand.
Thud.
Clang! Her blade, Kiriichimonji, slipped from her weakening fingers. Akame let out a faint groan and collapsed limply to the ground.
"Allow me to introduce myself," Merraid purred, crouching beside her fallen prey. "I may have no Shingu, nor Teigu, but through my will alone, I can command insect-type Danger Beasts as I please."
Gently laying Akame down, she smiled dangerously before turning her violet eyes toward the last man standing.
"You... bastard! Earth Spikes!" Guy roared, slamming both fists into the ground.
The earth quaked violently for several meters around him. Countless spikes of soil burst upward, splitting the battlefield in chaotic waves. Under his control, the barrage flowed around the unconscious Akame, the wounded Cornelia and Poney, shrouding the area like a living landslide before surging toward Merraid.
"Tsukushi! Take Cornelia and the others—get out of here!" he shouted.
"But Guy, you—"
"Go! Or we'll all die here! At least some of us have to make it out alive!"
"..."
Silent tears streamed down her cheeks as Tsukushi stepped forward, lifting Akame onto her back and grabbing Cornelia and Poney by the arms. Without looking back, she vanished into the forest.
"Cough... Najasho's dead, and Green isn't here either... as the only man left, I can't just crawl away in shame..." Guy muttered through bloodied lips.
His Shingu, Rare Suit, granted him command over earth and soil—but he couldn't create it from nothing, and it taxed his body heavily. Already wounded, forcing it for this long was unbearable. Blood began seeping through the white bandages wrapping his body.
But at least... his death wouldn't be meaningless.
"I'll hold you here... Earth Spikes!!!"