Chapter 91: Give it up, Captain. This place is full of Teigu users.
Esdeath had been preparing for the execution all this time. By the time she learned of the series of upheavals, it was already the day of the public execution.
"Is that so. The Minister has been arrested, and Budou has been assassinated."
She didn't say much after hearing the report, only that it was a bit of a pity.
She didn't care about the Minister, but Budou's death was a regret. The two of them were supposed to have a decisive battle after the rebellion was quelled, and Esdeath had been looking forward to it. She hadn't expected him to be assassinated before that time came.
"By the way, where are Kurome and Wave?"
Esdeath looked at Kobayashi and Run, who were the only ones standing behind her, wondering where the other two were.
"They're probably dead."
"Dead..."
"They went to stop the invaders from the south and haven't returned. They are most likely dead."
"Is that so."
Esdeath was silent for a moment, then said loudly, "Wave, Kurome, and even Budou, they died only because they were too weak! You can't blame anyone else! However, I will avenge them!"
The law of the survival of the fittest had long since been carved into the depths of her mind. She would feel sad about the death of a companion, but what was more important was strengthening her own heart and carrying out her own will.
"Let's go! To the execution ground!"
Esdeath could feel it. The final battle would begin there.
At the execution ground.
A large crowd of spectators had gathered here. In the center of the field, tied to a cross, was the star of this execution, Tatsumi.
His condition was surprisingly not bad; his previously listless appearance was gone. It seemed he was already prepared.
"To actually bring the Teigu here as bait... is that really a good idea, Captain?"
"Considering Najenda's naive way of thinking, it's highly possible."
Esdeath also understood her former colleague very well, so to prevent the enemy from attempting a rescue, she had brought most of her combat forces.
In the past, she would never have done such a thing. But the Great General who had always obstructed her was already dead. Now, the army listened only to her commands, so she could naturally do whatever she wanted.
And now, to demonstrate the power of the Empire and dampen the enemy's arrogance, she was going to publicly execute the traitor!
She looked at the sky. It was almost noon.
"Alright, it's about time."
Esdeath drew the rapier from her waist and slowly walked towards Tatsumi.
"Esdeath..."
"Tatsumi, you've prepared yourself, haven't you?"
The rapier was aimed at his throat.
Esdeath was a master of torture and thus knew the structure of the human body like the back of her hand. She knew exactly where to stab to cause pain and where to stab to cause death.
"I am very much looking forward to your powerful life force, Tatsumi."
Esdeath was going to perform an interrogation and an execution! Only the most severe punishment could make the rebellious populace afraid.
She raised her rapier, preparing to strike.
BOOM—
A muffled cannon shot fell from the sky, shooting straight towards Esdeath.
"So you've come, Night Raid?!"
Esdeath's brows furrowed tightly. She leaped backwards, dodging the powerful shot.
BOOM!
The cannonball landed on the empty ground, kicking up a thick fog. A figure slowly walked out from it.
"—Mine!"
Tatsumi shouted, very excited by his companion's rescue.
Esdeath didn't panic. After all, she had long expected them to come. She was just puzzled as to why only one person had appeared.
Are they all hiding?
Mine raised her Teigu, [Pumpkin], and shouted as she fired, "Give me back Tatsumi!"
"Heh, then come and take him!"
Esdeath returned the favor with the power of her Teigu, [Demon's Extract].
Huge ice spikes shot up from the ground towards Mine. Just as they were about to impale her from below, a hot laser beam shot through the ground spikes, only to be intercepted by her ice barrier.
"Tsk."
Mine stroked the barrel of her gun, clicking her tongue in annoyance. [Pumpkin]'s only weakness was that its power was too great and would cause the gun to overheat. If she forcibly fired at that time, the Teigu would be destroyed, so she had to be mindful of it at all times.
But, to save Tatsumi, she had to push herself! She had to constantly endure immense mental pressure, where the slightest carelessness meant death!
"Take this!"
What answered her was an even more powerful cannon blast from Mine.
From the start of the fight, her Teigu hadn't fired a single bullet; all of her attacks were cannonballs or lasers. One could imagine just how much pressure Esdeath was putting on her.
"What astonishing firepower."
Esdeath offered a word of praise. "So you release greater firepower when you're pushed into a corner? And even though you didn't hit me, you still took the opportunity to break Tatsumi's shackles. You've got some skills."
"Because I'm a genius sniper!" Mine replied just as proudly.
But what she didn't know was that this was not Esdeath's full strength.
Because—
"Najenda would never let a subordinate rush into an enemy camp alone. Your companions must be hiding in the shadows, ready to ambush me."
To guard against a sneak attack from the dark, she had reserved most of her strength.
However, that was no reason for this bedbug to strut around in front of her!
Esdeath gathered the energy of ice in her hands.
Mine's attack power was very strong, but she also had the same drawback as all snipers: her body was no different from an ordinary person's; it was far too frail. All offense, but no agility or defense!
In that case, I'll just smash her with a hailstorm of ice. As long as she's enveloped by it, she'll have no escape!
"Come! Let the slaughter begin!"
Countless ice blocks condensed in mid-air. The wide-area attack covered the entire execution ground. Each ice ball fell with a chilling aura and heavy force, smashing a small pit into the ground wherever it landed.
"Damn it!"
Mine raised her Teigu and unleashed her maximum firepower. But she couldn't achieve full coverage. The ice blocks continued to fall, and her spiritual energy was about to run out.
Just as she was about to be crushed, a yellow figure rescued her, and at the same time, a black figure appeared from the shadows and charged towards Esdeath, interrupting her chant.
It was Leone and Akame!
Esdeath hadn't expected Akame to be able to erase her presence to such an extent. Forced, she had no choice but to hurriedly defend, blocking the [One-Hit Kill] that was aimed at her throat.
Annoyed by the stalemate, she kicked Akame in the abdomen. As she was sent flying, she followed up with an ice sword, but it was blocked by Leone, who had rushed over after saving Mine.
Leone let out a breath. "Phew—, that was a close one."
"What a troublesome bunch!"
Esdeath seemed annoyed, but it was actually a compliment. She wasn't even breathing heavily after that chaotic battle. Even now, under the combined siege of the three, she was still completely at ease.
The strong are just that confident.
But Night Raid's philosophy had always been the righteous gang-beating. After the failed sneak attack, several more figures appeared, including the several Teigu users who had already died. All of Night Raid had taken the stage!
"Kobayashi. Run."
The two men walked up behind Esdeath. She asked, "So many enemies, it's very likely we'll die. Are you afraid?"
"Afraid? Not at all," Kobayashi shook his head.
Before Esdeath could say anything, he heard Leone shout from the other side, "Kobayashi! What are you still dawdling for? Get over here!"
This Leone. She's really a thick-skinned one.
Hearing the shout, Kobayashi scratched his head in frustration. He had still wanted to stir up some trouble, but he hadn't expected her to ruin it.
Esdeath asked, puzzled, "...What is going on, Kobayashi?"
However, the man behind her did not answer. Instead, he walked past her, went to the front of the Night Raid members, turned around, and stood at their head, facing her.
"This is what's going on."
He said to her, "Give it up, Captain. This place is full of Teigu users."
Even Esdeath understood what was happening now.
(End of Chapter)