The ruined square was drenched in the faint light of early morning, the ground littered with shattered stone and shattered bodies. Crimson stains marked every corner, mixing with broken limbs and shattered armor. Akame, now fully transformed into a devil, stood at the forefront, the demon sword Murasame resting lightly in her right hand. She wiped a streak of blood from her cheek, her expression calm but determined.
To her left and right, Leone and Najenda moved cautiously, their movements precise yet fluid, like predators circling their prey. Their clothes were splattered with blood, but their faces were resolute. Behind them, a tide of chaos unfolded — fallen soldiers and broken weapons painted a scene of carnage, yet the three devils moved as if nothing had happened, leaving an aura of unnatural serenity in their wake.
At the center of the three women, Arashi stood upright, radiating a calm power. Not a drop of blood marred his clothes; not a crease disturbed the lines of his attire. His ruby-red eyes scanned the square with unhurried precision, analyzing, calculating, and commanding attention with the quiet authority of a true devil.
"Monster… a monster!"
A commander at the rear gawked, his grip tightening on his weapon. Fear twisted his face as he muttered to himself. "It's… it's like a ghost… an unkillable ghost!"
The soldiers around him were frozen, their hearts trembling. The devils' presence alone suffocated any thought of resistance. Akame's speed, amplified by her devil powers, made her seem otherworldly; before any of them could react, dozens fell to the ground like wheat cut by the scythe.
Arashi took a step forward, and with him, his three followers moved in perfect synchronicity. Each step created a ripple in the battlefield. Soldiers who tried to close in instinctively stepped back, their courage evaporating under the overwhelming pressure.
Suddenly, a distant rumble echoed across the square. Da! Da! Da! Footsteps approached from all directions — a tide of reinforcements arriving in what seemed like an endless wave. Leone's jaw tightened.
"Are… all the guards of the imperial palace really here?" he whispered, his voice tight with disbelief.
"Yes… and they've come to stop us," Najenda muttered, her eyes narrowing.
Arata's gaze swept over the incoming troops. "Small fry… nearly here," he said simply. His words were calm, almost casual — but the implication was anything but.
Time seemed to warp. Dust hung in the air, motionless, as if the very world paused to observe what was about to happen.
Boom!
A flash ignited in Arashi's eyes, crystal-clear and unyielding as rubies. The air trembled as his magic erupted silently, spreading outward like ripples in a still pond. The soldiers' faces, frozen mid-step, reflected a mixture of fear, awe, and disbelief. The tide of reinforcements slowed, halted, as if they were mere puppets caught in the invisible hand of some godlike force.
Najenda and Leone's jaws dropped in shock. The scene was surreal: soldiers frozen mid-stride, horses suspended in motion, even the banners fluttering in the breeze seemed paused, their fabric caught in time.
Plop! Plop!
Soldiers began to fall in waves. First one, then dozens, then hundreds. Within moments, nearly ten thousand guards protecting the imperial city lay toppled on the ground, disarmed and incapacitated, yet none harmed beyond the lightest touch of the devil's magic.
Above, the sky roiled with energy. Clouds twisted violently, currents of wind spun into miniature hurricanes, and the heavens themselves seemed to react to the overwhelming power radiating from Lin Luo.
"This… this is…" Najenda gasped, her voice trembling. Even Leone, the ever-cynical observer, could only gape, unable to comprehend the scale of power before them.
— Akame — took a deep breath, her crimson eyes wide with awe. "Master… this… is your magic power?"
Arata nodded slowly. "Correct. This is only the most basic application. Consider it a magical version of the Conqueror's Haki. It's designed to deal with masses — small fry. Those with substantial power will require direct combat."
Akame's wings twitched. "I… I will master it, Master! I will train harder!"
The display was enough to inspire even the most battle-hardened followers. With every glance, she felt the limitless potential of her devil power unfolding within her, the strength to move mountains and carve paths through armies.
But as awe settled over them, movement in the distance caught Lin Luo's sharp gaze. A towering figure strode into the square, clad in gleaming armor, golden hair and piercing blue eyes reflecting the sunlight. His presence radiated authority and raw power.
"General Bud."
Akame froze, her sword lowering slightly. The man before them wielded Thunder God's Fury, an imperial weapon known to rival even the mightiest devils. Najenda and Leone stiffened — their instincts screamed at them that this was no ordinary adversary.
Yet Lin Luo's expression did not change. He approached with calm confidence, placing a hand lightly on Bud's armor. The imperial weapon was powerful, yes — but to Arata, it was merely a tool. Its potential could be redirected to enhance the strength of his followers.
Bud's eyes widened in disbelief. "How… how are you doing this?!"
"Leave the weapon and you live," Arata said casually, his tone light yet carrying unmistakable authority. "Crushing ants without damaging their bodies is very troublesome."
Bud's jaw tightened, rage and disbelief warring in his expression. "Trespassing into the imperial palace is punishable by death! Do not think your strength excuses you!"
With a roar, he slammed his hands onto the ground, summoning a surge of lightning that coiled around him like serpents of raw energy. But before he could strike, Arata raised a single hand.
Boom!
The square trembled. Shockwaves erupted outward, sweeping Bud off his feet. Two trenches, each over ten meters long, were gouged into the earth where his boots had landed. He crashed into the ground, his body trembling under the sheer force of Arata's magic.
"What… what kind of monster are you?" Bud hissed, his voice barely audible over the crackling energy. His fingers shook as he tried to grip his weapon, the legendary imperial item slipping from his grasp with eerie ease.
"I have no imperial weapon," Arata replied, his crimson eyes calm. "But you… you are stronger than I anticipated. This is promising."
Bud's fury ignited once more. Crackle! Thunder surged across his armor as he roared, condensing the raw energy of the storm into his very body. Lightning danced along his limbs, and in an instant, the general reached his maximum strength — a living storm, ready to clash with a devil.
Najenda and Leone's eyes widened. Even to them, the display was terrifying. For a moment, time itself seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see who would strike first in a battle that could reshape the very square itself.