Everyone is seated around the table as usual and this time, Najenda puts on a very serious expression. The next moment, she pushes a thick paper to the center of the table for everyone to see.
"This is our new target. His name is Zank the Executioner," Najenda said, and instantly everyone in the room sucked in a cold breath except for me and Tatsumi.
Then Najenda continued.
"During the past few years after Minister Honest began committing heinous crimes, Zank started beheading a ridiculous number of people. Doing that for so long slowly drove him mad and made him crave even more. Now he randomly attacks people and beheads them," Najenda added.
"The most annoying part is that the empire turns a blind eye to it!" Leone said angrily, slamming her hand on the table.
"The hardest thing about this mission is that Zank is an Imperial Arm user and we have no idea how his Imperial Arm works," Najenda voiced her concern.
I try to remember the details of this mission from my memories, but I don't quite get it or recall exactly what happened.
"That's why… Akame, Okun and Tatsumi will do the job," Najenda said, looking toward me and Akame.
"Okay boss."
"Alright boss."
We answered at the same time, and after that we spent several hours chatting and playing cards until it was nighttime.
We entered the city and ordered Tatsumi to go scout for us. Although Akame was initially against it, I convinced her to let Tatsumi do it. And according to intel, this is the area Zank prefers to catch his victims.
While Tatsumi was scouting ahead and we slowly followed him, Zank suddenly appeared behind him, walking toward him while grinning maniacally.
"Hehehe, I found you. A young, healthy boy! I wonder what kind of sound you'll make. Don't worry, I'll take my time enjoying your beautiful cries, hehehehe," Zank laughed creepily as he walked toward Tatsumi, who quickly brandished his sword.
Zank is a tall and muscular man with sharp, marked facial features. He has blue eyes, short slicked-back blond hair with distinctive horn-like bangs, and a wide sinister smile that stretches unnaturally across almost his entire face.
He wore dark grey ear guards, and his Teigu is a headpiece featuring a large green eye positioned on his forehead. The eye changes and blinks often as if it were alive.
Suddenly, Tatsumi dashed forward toward Zank, sending out an arc slash toward his neck, but Zank easily dodged the attack. Tatsumi attacked again and again, and each time Zank skillfully evaded his strikes.
"This is strange. It's as if he can read Tatsumi's movements before they land," Akame muttered.
"That's right. I think he can read Tatsumi's mind and also has foresight," I said, slowly remembering this guy's abilities.
"GARGH!"
Suddenly we heard a loud shout, and when we looked down we saw that Tatsumi had sustained a few deep cuts within seconds.
"That's right! Beg me! Beg me before I finish you!" Zank shouted maniacally at Tatsumi, and this time it was as if Tatsumi was frozen in shock because he didn't raise his sword again.
"It seems he can cast illusion and hyp—"
SWOOSH!
Before I could complete my words, Akame swooped down toward Zank, kicking him and pushing Tatsumi backward while she faced Zank.
She didn't even wait to hear what I wanted to say.
Focusing back on the scene, Zank became even more excited and the headpiece on his head glowed brighter. For a moment, Akame appeared dazed while Zank dashed toward her, smiling evilly.
But suddenly, Akame moved at the last second and slashed him across the shoulders.
SHINK!
"H-How could you slash the person you love the most?!" Zank muttered in shock and tried to turn, but the effect of Murasame had already begun to kick in, and Akame quickly finished him by stabbing his throat.
"You can rest now and won't hear those voices again," Akame muttered as she twisted the sword, slitting his throat open.
"Thanks for freeing me," Zank said with a small smile as he fell to the ground dead.
After the mission was complete, we began heading back to the base. I asked Tatsumi who he saw that made him so dazed, and he told me he saw his mom, Yuuko. When I asked Akame, she didn't give me an answer, but I knew she must have seen her sister.
If I had been in that position, who would I have seen? Who did I love the most?
Well, the truth is… the one I love the most is my mom, Neru.