After the two of them slipped out of the room, Mine sat frozen, her cheeks still burning a bright, furious crimson as she stammered out.
"Are we... are we seriously just going to let Akame sleep with Haruto like that?!"
Leone reached up to scratch the back of her head, letting out a heavy, carefree sigh.
"Mine, look at the big picture. Haruto is light-years out of our league in terms of power—trying to back out of a binding trade with a monster like that is basically suicide."
She paused for a second, a playful smirk curving her lips. "And honestly? If it were me in her shoes, I wouldn't mind at all."
"Wha—?!" Mine gasped, her jaw dropping.
Leone continued on nonchalantly, stretching her arms above her head.
"Think about it. Haruto is smoking hot, dripping with raw charisma, and strong enough to wipe out the Empire's greatest general with a snap of his fingers. I've never laid eyes on a man even half as impressive as him."
Mine stood completely speechless.
When she looked back at the cold, brutal reality—remembering how General Budo and thousands of elite soldiers had been shattered into frozen dust without a second thought—she knew Leone was right.
If they dared to welch on the deal, they'd likely end up as glittering frost particles themselves.
Najenda, sitting quietly at the head of the table with a thoughtful, calculating expression, raised her gaze to join the conversation.
"In fact, looking at the bigger picture, this arrangement might turn out to be a massive strategic victory for us."
She slowly glanced between Mine and Leone. "If Haruto ever proposes similar transactions to either of you, I earnestly ask that you seriously consider accepting. For the sake of winning our war against the Empire and liberating the people, we cannot afford to push away an ally of his caliber."
A supreme powerhouse willing to lend his godlike strength in exchange for simple, intimate favors was an opportunity of a lifetime.
To Najenda, Haruto's combat capacity utterly dwarfed even Esdeath's, and missing the chance to anchor him to their cause would be absolute folly.
"W-wait a second..." Mine was utterly stunned, her mind spinning.
Was their supreme commander seriously suggesting that they sell their bodies for the rebellion?!
"How can you even suggest something like that so casually?!"
Just the raw, vivid imagery flashing through her mind made Mine's head swim with an overwhelming wave of embarrassment and heat.
But Leone merely shrugged, leaning back lazily in her chair with her hands clasped behind her head.
"Personally, I don't see what the big deal is," Leone chuckled.
"Besides, considering the women he keeps around, I doubt a rough-around-the-edges brawler like me with all these muscles would even catch his eye."
She grinned teasingly. "Though, if he is into it... I'd say I hit the jackpot."
Najenda let out a low, pragmatic sigh, resting her chin on her hand. "We'll simply have to observe how things develop and take it step by step."
"...???"
Mine stared at them both in absolute bewilderment.
Were they actually having this conversation in broad daylight?
Night Raid, the most feared and prestigious band of elite assassins in the entire continent, was rapidly starting to resemble a high-end pleasure house!
Yet, as the chaotic heat in her cheeks slowly subsided, a quiet, traitorous thought slipped into the back of her mind.
When she pictured Haruto's striking profile, his effortless dominance, and the way he had stepped up to shield her from certain death...
If he ever walked up to her and asked... would she really find the strength to say no?
Several hours had swiftly passed beneath the canopy of the rugged mountain range.
"Hah!"
Saeko cleanly decapitated a towering, scorpion-like Danger Beast with a single, fluid slash of her blade.
Not far from her, a towering ten-meter-tall spectral giant—composed of crackling purple energy and mirroring her exact form—wielded an equally colossal purple sword, effortlessly cleaving through another charging horde of beasts.
This was the autonomous 'Sword Spirit' she had awakened.
Because the spirit was currently manifesting and wielding the 'Annihilation Spirit Blade' on her behalf, Haruto had temporarily lent her Murasame so she wouldn't be left defenseless while her spirit fought independently.
On the opposite side of the clearing, Ayame drew her crystalline bow, loosing a volley of arrows enhanced by temporal acceleration that tore through the air and dismantled a pack of agile Danger Beasts in seconds.
Even Mai had completely shed her initial hesitation, transforming into a fierce dragon warrior whose elusive, unpredictable movements allowed her to swiftly dispatch smaller threats.
In just a few hours of relentless hunting, all three women had experienced explosive growth:
[Sakurajima Mai]: Level 10
[Saeko Busujima]: Level 16
[Ayame Yomogawa]: Level 14
The massive, high-grade Danger Beasts of this world were an absolute goldmine of experience.
Of course, the true, compounding beneficiary of this massacre was Haruto, who had spent the afternoon lounging comfortably while observing their progress.
In fact, he had casually flash-frozen an entire neighboring mountain range, wiping out its ecosystem entirely, while leaving this second range mostly intact to serve as their personal training ground.
[Name]: Haruto Amakawa
[Level]: 38
[Abilities]: Omitted
[Description]: You now possess the power to bring an entire empire to ruin single-handedly.
He had surged a full seven levels in a single afternoon—a thoroughly satisfying harvest.
Fortunately, neither of the ranges they hunted in harbored any "Supreme Class" Danger Beasts.
As he recalled, the true apex predators of this world were those ancient behemoths, the biological raw materials from which the Empire's legendary Teigu were originally forged.
Noticing the time slipping away with just over an hour remaining in Akame's contract, Haruto gave a sharp clap of his hands.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Let's wrap it up."
The three women swiftly executed the remaining creatures in front of them and trotted over to gather around him.
"Are we heading back already?" Saeko asked, a thin strip of her tongue tracing her lips as a lingering, intoxicating bloodlust gleamed crimson within her irises.
She was only just beginning to enjoy herself.
"Yes, it's time to return," Haruto replied smoothly, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.
Back at Night Raid's hidden mountain base.
When Haruto learned that Lubbock and Bulat had been dispatched on reconnaissance missions, a knowing eyebrow arched upward.
It was clear the leadership had orchestrated their absence. No doubt they had already cross-examined Akame regarding the exact nature of their contract.
Good.
That cleared the stage nicely.
He was fully prepared to indulge in his pristine, unblemished dessert—Akame—though he needed to clear the room and send Mai away first to avoid any unnecessary friction or jealousy.
"Najenda, have Leone and Mai spar for a little while," Haruto suggested smoothly.
He turned his gaze toward Mai.
"Mai, while you've racked up plenty of experience against Danger Beasts today, you still completely lack practical combat experience against human opponents."
Mai narrowed her eyes, glaring at him with heavy suspicion. "Are you just trying to clear the room and get rid of me so I don't interrupt your... 'fun'?"
Haruto offered an easy, unabashed grin. "That is definitely a significant part of it."
"..."
Mai was left entirely speechless. His blunt, unapologetic honesty regarding his desires left her with no rhetorical footing to fight back.
In a surge of frustrated embarrassment, she pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Just... don't you dare go overboard with Akame!"
Flipping her dark ponytail over her shoulder, she spun around and stormed off toward the training yard.
Saeko and Ayame, by contrast, remained entirely unperturbed. They understood their standing clearly: absolute, unwavering loyalty to Haruto.
No matter what tasks or intimate demands he placed upon them—or anyone else—they accepted his will without a single complaint.
"Hmph!"
Mine tossed her head high in a huff, glaring daggers as she brushed past Haruto in the doorway.
Meanwhile, Sheele offered a soft, flustered blush, lowering her gaze as she murmured, "Akame is... waiting for you inside her room. Please... be gentle with her."
Haruto chuckled warmly. "I'm here to collect a hard-earned reward, not to torture anyone. I know my limits quite well."
******
Advance Chapters are available on Patreon.
With Exclusive Character Arts On It.
So Be Sure To Check It out.
patreon.com/ITz_DeaD