"So strong!! Killing you will be worth so much experience!"
Thud!!
A massive crack split the deck floor, sending wooden shards flying everywhere. Tatsumi managed to lean aside just in time before sliding to the left. He swung his sword upward, aiming to sever Daidara's arm, but his opponent was no amateur; he dodged just enough so the blade only grazed his skin, drawing a thin line of blood.
With his attack failing, Tatsumi quickly retreated. That axe was too dangerous and powerful; he wasn't sure his sword could withstand more than a few direct hits.
"I'm impressed you dodged that while still under the flute's influence. You even made me bleed. Truly, what a wonderful experience!!!"
"In that case, I'll let you witness this."
The axe transformed; its handle vanished as it split into two hand-held blades. Daidara hurled one in a curved trajectory. Tatsumi ducked hastily, feeling the terrifying cutting force of the blade, and broke into a cold sweat.
The blade hadn't finished its journey; it looped back immediately. Tatsumi used the flat of his sword as a shield while using the momentum to push himself back.
Clang!
The sword and blade collided. Tatsumi didn't match it with brute force; he used the impact to propel himself further away.
"Is this your Teigu?"
"Double-Bladed Axe: Belvaac. Not just anyone can pick up and use this thing."
The blade returned to Daidara's hand. Once again, he hurled it. Tatsumi had briefly considered a plan to lure the blade back toward Daidara, but noticing how easily the man caught it—and that he still held another in his other hand—he abandoned the idea.
"It moves according to his will? That's going to be a problem."
Clang!!
Another collision occurred, but this time Tatsumi wasn't as lucky. Despite his defense, the blade flew in a treacherous arc, slicing his cheek and leaving a small, bleeding cut.
But just as Tatsumi was contemplating how to break this disadvantageous position, Bulat's voice rang out.
"Not bad, Tatsumi. To survive this long against a Teigu user means you've improved a lot."
"Big Bro!"
Bulat walked to his side. Daidara retracted his blades, unable to hide his surprise.
"You bastard, you're still standing? That flute should have affected everyone on this ship!"
"Oh, is that so? Then it's useless against me."
"What the—"
"Passion is coursing through my body; it's not something a measly flute can soothe!"
Bulat flashed a confident smile. Daidara noticed the wound on Bulat's thigh, freshly bandaged and still seeping blood. He let out a loud laugh.
"How interesting!!! Interesting!!! You wounded yourself to suppress the flute?"
"I am Bulat of Night Raid, but you can call me 'Handsome.'"
"I am a servant of Lady Esdeath. Daidara of the Three Beasts."
The introductions over, Bulat stared straight at his opponent without looking back.
"Tatsumi, watch how I fight and burn it into your mind!"
"Big Bro..."
"Incursio!!!!"
Bulat slammed his hand onto the deck and shouted. Immediately, a pillar of fire erupted, and the armor of Incursio appeared from the void, wrapping around his body. He seized his red spear, cleaving the flames to reveal his armored form.
"Looks like I'll be gaining a ton of experience now!!"
Gripping both axe blades, Daidara charged with an excited roar. He wasn't alone; the other two of the Three Beasts—the gray-haired man and Nyau—appeared as well, forming a triangular formation to close in on Bulat.
"Big Bro!!!"
Tatsumi screamed. These enemies were too strong, and now there were three of them. Fearing his mentor wouldn't hold out, he hurriedly raised his sword.
"Got you! I'll take your head—"
Thump!
The enemy in front of him vanished. That was the last thing Nyau thought before being kicked in the stomach and sent flying. The gray-haired man suffered a similar fate, though he managed to cross his arms in time to block, sliding backward. Daidara had it the worst; Bulat caught his opening and cleaved him in half with a single spear strike.
The man who had overwhelmed Tatsumi just seconds ago was now lying in two pieces on the deck, leaving Tatsumi's jaw dropping.
"Tatsumi, this is what I told you before: always watch your surroundings. In a real battle, the enemy can hide anywhere to launch a sneak attack."
Tatsumi was still in shock; Bulat's level was entirely different, even compared to Teigu users.
"He killed one and suppressed the other two... all in a single instant!"
"Big Bro, I knew you were strong, but I didn't expect this much!"
"Surprised? Back when I was a soldier, I was known as 'Bulat the 100-Man Slayer.'"
"Wrong. To be precise, it was 108 people."
A voice interrupted their conversation. The gray-haired middle-aged man rose from the debris of the earlier impact and walked toward Bulat.
"You were able to resist the special forces, and you did quite well."
"That Teigu, that power. So it really is you, Bulat."
Bulat was stunned. Behind his helmet, his expression turned to one of disbelief. Everything had happened so fast he hadn't looked closely. Despite the different clothes and hairstyle, Bulat recognized the man through his aura.
"You're General... Liver!"
...
"Bring me your best candy."
"Yes... yes! Right away!"
Esdeath sat on a wooden chair in front of a candy shop named "Amaenbou." Dozens of meters away, on the roof of the house opposite the shop, Leone was crouching, though her current state was somewhat strange.
Her teeth were clenched, her body as tense as a bowstring, not daring to relax for even a second.
"Because I'm in this state, I know she's intentionally wandering alone to bait me."
"The scent coming off her is horrifying; it's sending chills down my spine."
A drop of sweat fell from Leone's forehead onto the roof. Though she hated to admit it, she could feel that Esdeath was on a completely different level—one she couldn't reach.
Is this the strongest person in the capital, even the strongest in the Empire, that the Boss spoke of?
Leone had been somewhat skeptical at first, but now she knew Najenda wasn't wrong. Even if the entire Night Raid gathered their strength, the chance of victory was incredibly slim.
"Dammit, I thought I could kill her if I had the chance..."
"...I was so naive. This is so frustrating! But I have to trust my instincts and retreat."
After a brief internal struggle, Leone departed. The moment she vanished, Esdeath looked up at the roof opposite—exactly where she had been hiding.
"Hmm, gone already? They didn't take the bait?"
"How boring. I was just about to try a new torture method."
Thinking this, Esdeath picked up a cone with three scoops of stacked candy and began to eat.
"This is quite good. After the mission is over, maybe I should bring the Three Beasts here."