Crash!
Asahi fell face-first onto the floor. His armor deactivated, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably. It wasn't out of fear, but because his core temperature had plummeted. The sheer chill from Esdeath's ice had bypassed the armor's protective layers.
Every part of his body screamed in pain. It took every ounce of his remaining strength just to roll over onto his back.
"Damn it... this time... I miscalculated..."
How could he have known that Esdeath, who initially fought like a long-range mage, possessed such terrifying close-quarters combat skills? While her raw physical strength was slightly inferior to his when he was armored, her absolute mastery over ice more than bridged that gap.
Fortunately, Asahi had prepared for the worst. When Esdeath unleashed her Glacial Fangs, he had diverted his final strike to shatter the encroaching ice rather than attacking her directly. It was the only reason he had managed to slip away.
But Asahi took no joy in his escape. From start to finish, Esdeath hadn't treated him as a worthy opponent—she was merely playing with him. It was only thanks to her arrogance that he had made it out alive.
With her extreme "survival of the fittest" ideology, a rematch was almost inevitable. But if she could leave him battered and fleeing without even trying, how could he ever hope to win?
"Forget it... recover first... worry later..."
Asahi began to feel a twinge of concern for Tatsumi and Night Raid. He was different from them; he could safely pull himself out of this muddy water if he chose. But Night Raid's goal was to topple the Empire, which meant they would eventually have to face Esdeath in a fight to the death.
During their last meeting at the coffee shop, Najenda had revealed Night Raid's true identity as the vanguard of the Revolutionary Army. A final confrontation was written in the stars.
...
The sun was setting.
In a desolate architectural ruin nestled in a valley, a young girl with a doll-like face sat humming an innocent tune. She wore a black dress and had short black hair tucked behind her ears. However, her "seat" was a heap of tangled corpses.
The gruesome scene, bathed in the red glow of twilight and accompanied by her soft humming, created a sense of warped horror.
"The human body is truly so interesting."
The girl swayed her body playfully. Below the pile of bodies were two others dressed in black like her, though they wore masks covering the upper halves of their faces.
"We have to cremate this pile of corpses again."
"Take the goods we scavenged to the black market. This really is a heinous crime, isn't it?"
"Kurome, we received word. You've been ordered back to the capital."
As the two masked figures spoke, a third voice emerged as another masked individual approached. This message wasn't for the pair, but for the girl sitting atop the bodies.
Kurome stopped humming and began eating from a bag of snacks. Upon hearing the news, she paused for a moment.
"Just me?"
"Yeah. You are one of the six chosen."
"Six?"
"Apparently, they are forming a new organization."
Kurome finished her snack, stood up, and brushed off her clothes. She murmured as she looked toward the horizon.
"The capital, huh?"
"We might see each other again, big sister."
...
Mine soaked in a natural hot spring, feeling her body return to its perfect state. Just as Asahi had promised, three days was all it took for a full recovery.
"So good!"
It was now early morning, only a day after the battle with the Three Beasts. Mine had been restless, frustrated that she couldn't participate in the mission.
Today, the training grounds were much livelier than usual. Bulat no longer had his Teigu, and Tatsumi was determined to train harder than ever to shoulder the responsibility Bulat had passed to him along with Incursio. Stimulated by their drive, Lubbock had joined in, and even the girls of Night Raid found it interesting enough to participate.
Bulat still needed time to fully heal, so he suggested "light" training. However, Bulat's definition of "light" was vastly different from Tatsumi's or Lubbock's.
Tatsumi remembered how confidently he had accepted Bulat's "hellish training" back at the coffee shop; now, his face was pale.
"Does anyone want to train with me?"
"Hey... Mine..."
"You're recovered? That's great."
"Yo! Mine!"
"Welcome back, Mine."
Before Mine stood a strange sight: Leone was sitting on Lubbock's back, Akame was on Tatsumi's, and Sheele was perched on Bulat's. All three men were performing push-ups.
Only Bulat seemed at ease. Tatsumi was drenched in sweat as if he'd been in a rainstorm. Lubbock looked even worse, his body nearly collapsing under the weight.
"What are you guys doing?"
"These boys suddenly got a burst of motivation, so we're helping them," Leone teased.
Tatsumi finished another rep, gasping for air. "I only realized... after using it... how much energy Incursio drains... I have to be determined... so I can wear it as long as Bro..."
"Great spirit, Tatsumi! If you keep up this strict training, you'll surpass me in no time."
"Bro!"
Bulat finished his set of three, flashing a brilliant smile with sparkling white teeth, still having enough energy to give a thumbs-up.
Mine watched Tatsumi's determined face and felt a bit dazed. Her face flushed slightly, and she quickly turned to Lubbock to hide her embarrassment.
"Rare to see you sweating, Lubbock."
"Haha, well, Bulat is injured, so there are only two guys left who can go on missions. I figured I should step up."
"You sound cool, but you've only done half as many push-ups as Tatsumi," Leone poked fun at him. Lubbock could only pout.
Then, Akame chimed in with her usual bluntness. "It can't be helped. There's a weight difference between Leone and me."
Thwack!
Leone delivered a lightning-fast chop to Akame's head. Akame rubbed the growing bump, looking confused. She didn't learn her lesson, though, and turned her attention to Sheele, who was reading a book.
"Sheele, you've been so distracted lately. Why?"
"Hehehe, I know why!!!" Leone wore a devious grin. Tatsumi, Akame, Mine, and Lubbock all perked up their ears. They felt like they were about to hear a massive secret.
"No!!!"
Thwack! Thwack!
Accompanied by Sheele's scream, a second bump appeared on Akame's head, making them symmetrical. A similar bump sprouted on Leone's head. Sheele buried her face in her book, using it to hide her burning expression.
"Is everyone here?"
Najenda's voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention. She was carrying a massive bundle on her back.
"Boss?"
"I'm heading to the Revolutionary Army headquarters to deliver the Teigu we captured from the Three Beasts."
"Alone? And isn't that axe incredibly heavy, Boss?"
"Ah, it's not a problem."
To prove it, Najenda pulled out the giant axe—the Teigu of the bearded Daidara. She held it firmly in one hand. Bulat had tested all three Teigu from the Three Beasts, but none were compatible with him.
"Even if we can't use them, carrying them is fine."
"Was our Boss... always this strong?"
"Tatsumi, Boss used to be a Great General!" Lubbock whispered.
Najenda turned to Bulat to hand over command. "Bulat, I know you've just recovered, but I need you to manage the base while I'm gone."
"Understood, Boss. Leave it to us."
"Also, I have one more important piece of news for everyone." Najenda's expression turned solemn as she looked at Tatsumi. "It concerns Asahi."
Tatsumi tensed up. He hadn't known the outcome of yesterday's chaos. He had been planning to ask the Boss to investigate, but she had already beaten him to it. The entire group fell silent.
"According to our spies, nearly a hundred Imperial Guards were neutralized. The rampage only stopped when Asahi clashed with Esdeath."
"WHAT!!!!"
Everyone was shocked. Esdeath—the strongest in the capital, perhaps the entire Empire. The cold-blooded woman who had buried 400,000 people alive. They had heard the legends of her cruelty repeatedly. Najenda herself constantly warned them about her.
And yet... Asahi had faced her alone?
Tatsumi and Bulat looked particularly grave. They had fought the Three Beasts, Esdeath's subordinates, and they were strong enough to push Bulat to his absolute limit. But based on the Three Beasts' behavior, their master was on an entirely different level.
"Asahi used an armor-type Teigu to battle Esdeath. After a fierce struggle, he lost, but he managed to escape."
Tatsumi let out a long breath of relief.
"Because of this, I plan to recruit new members at headquarters to bolster our strength. I hope to find some talented individuals. Don't let it weigh on you too much; I believe everyone here still has room to grow."
"Esdeath is powerful, but Asahi has provided us with invaluable information. Combined with the fact that Bulat and Tatsumi eliminated her elite subordinates, her influence is weakened. The chance for victory exists."
"Stay alive, everyone."
Najenda departed. She stood on a lush green plain, looking up at the sky in deep thought.
"According to Leone's intel, Esdeath is preparing to form a special unit consisting entirely of Teigu users."
"I have to act fast."