Gulp—
Under Uchiha Hikari's piercing gaze, Cosmia, dressed as a bunny-eared songstress, gripped her microphone tightly, swallowing hard. Cold sweat trickled down her temples.
—Cosmia, another member of the "Wild Hunt," a witch-like diva from a Western nation who loved toying with men.
As one of Sheila's handpicked subordinates, she wielded a Teigu: the microphone-shaped "Earth Rumble: Heavy Pressure."
This Teigu transformed any sound she produced into ultra-high-frequency sonic waves, capable of shattering enemies within its range into dust. In theory, activating "Earth Rumble" could reduce Uchiha Hikari to powder, just like Izou had been obliterated by her "Getsuga Tensho."
But…
Right now, Cosmia didn't dare use it. She didn't even dare make the slightest sound, terrified that any noise might be mistaken for an attack.
"Hm?"
As Hikari turned to face her, Cosmia's knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground with a thud. Raising the microphone above her head, she stammered, "I-I surrender! I was… forced by Lord Sheila—by that man—to come to this empire! I haven't killed anyone from the Revolutionary Army! I'll hand over my Teigu, just please don't kill me!"
"Huh?"
Hikari raised an eyebrow, her voice icy. "Look up. Meet my eyes."
"?"
Cosmia hesitated but obeyed, lifting her head. Her gaze locked onto a pair of eyes spinning with a six-pointed pinwheel pattern.
Engraved Tsukuyomi!
In the span of a single second in the real world, Cosmia's body shuddered, collapsing as if drained of strength. Hikari tossed out a casual, "Stay there and don't move," before striding forward through the courtyard.
The guards on either side, already terrified by her earlier "Getsuga Tensho," stood frozen. Staying in the courtyard without fleeing was the extent of their courage. As Hikari advanced, the soldiers parted like a tide, clearing a path for her.
Sheila stood at the entrance to the main hall.
The commotion from "Getsuga Tensho" was impossible to miss.
Hikari was a bit surprised he dared to face her. If Sheila had been cautious enough to use his "Shangri-La" Teigu to teleport away immediately, she might've had a hard time tracking him down.
"…Who are you?" Sheila's face was grim. "Whoever sent you, I'll pay double—no, ten times their price! Join me as my subordinate, and I swear I'll grant your every desire!"
"Oh?"
Hikari let out an amused chuckle.
She was being recruited?
From Sheila's perspective, it made sense. He'd used similar tactics to gather followers like Izou and Cosmia. If Hikari were just a skilled native of the Akame ga Kill! world, the offer might've been tempting. Despite his countless crimes, Sheila was Minister Ornest's only son, practically a prince in an empire where the throne held little power. Even if the empire fell, sticking with him could mean endless wealth and luxury—assuming he survived.
Too bad…
"I do have one wish," Hikari said.
"What is it?" Sheila asked, his voice tense.
"I've never seen someone die by a thousand cuts. Care to put on a show for me?"
Hikari tilted her head, flashing a deceptively innocent smile, her tone carrying the playful lilt of a young girl.
"…You're dead!"
As the words left his mouth, Sheila flung two throwing knives and raised his right arm, revealing the Teigu on his wrist.
—Dimensional Array: Shangri-La, a rare spatial teleportation Teigu that could instantly transport a target to a designated location. It consumed massive energy, preventing consecutive uses, but its power was unmatched among Teigu.
This Teigu was why Sheila had the confidence to confront Hikari even after witnessing "Getsuga Tensho." If he could recruit her, great. If not, he only needed a second to teleport thousands of miles away.
As "Shangri-La" activated, a glowing teleportation array began to form. Sheila even flashed Hikari a sinister grin, already imagining her bound in a dungeon, torn to pieces. "Goodbye, kid. I'll look forward to our next—"
A faint breath brushed against Sheila's ear.
Then, a soft, almost melodic whisper: "Who… are you saying goodbye to?"
A flash of brilliant steel followed!
Swish!
Before Sheila could process what was happening, his entire left hand—along with the watch-like "Shangri-La"—fell silently to the ground.
The teleportation array's glow flickered out.
The blade continued its arc, slicing through Sheila's left leg just above the knee. The cut was so swift that it took a second or two for him to stumble and collapse, blood gushing from the stump.
"What… what's happening?!"
Sheila, a seasoned fighter who'd trained across nations, instinctively moved to stop the bleeding despite the shock.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha Hikari standing in the courtyard raised a hand, using "Word Spirit: Dustless Land" to halt the incoming throwing knives mid-air. With a burst of force, she sent them flying back, embedding them into Sheila's chest.
"Gah!"
Sheila roared in pain, his eyes wide with disbelief. He glanced at the Hikari standing beside him, then at the one in the courtyard, his face twisting in horror. "You… what are you?! This isn't something a Teigu can do!!"
"Guess."
Hikari ignored his outburst, crouching to inspect the severed hand. She removed the "watch" from the wrist and tossed the rest aside like garbage.
"So this is 'Shangri-La'… Looks a bit cooler than I expected."
"Kind of dirty, though."