Kill Night Raid

Year 1024

"Why does this feel like some sort of a bad joke?" Raizo thought to himself whilst pursuing after the group of assassins infamously known as Night Raid.

"Fujitora...did you set me up knowing I would have to run into them? Am I so much of a problem for you that you wanted these guys to take me out?"

The youth was juggling a myriad of thoughts over the current situation at hand. Though he possessed the resolve to do whatever it took to ultimately achieve his goal, right now he was trying to establish the variables over how to tackle the circumstances. The Blood Wolf only heard of Night Raid off and on throughout his travels whilst seeking to achieve his goal. People were careful to only mention them in whispers for they were declared by the Capital as public enemy number one. Anyone suspected of supporting them was automatically deemed a traitor and immediately sentenced to execution on the spot. That was how much of a threat the Empire deemed them.

"Judging by what I saw...they all possess serious skill and Teigu from the looks of it. I haven't really pushed myself to the limit with Indra's Judgment so it would be an opportunity. Then again, that one girl...she's…"

Raizo's mind flashed to the gaze he felt from the red-eyed female of the group with the sword. Out of all the fighters from the group, that one, in particular, gave him pause the most.

"Pretty sure asking a group of assassins like them for those documents isn't in the cards...so it looks like I'll just have to take them all on at once. If I can maintain the element of surprise then it could turn out to be a simple snatch and grab."

Continuing on his course of action, Raizo pushed into the forest racing through the trees determined to get what he needed to achieve his long-held desire.

Meanwhile about a mile or so ahead of the Blood Wolf, Night Raid was carrying the fruits of their labor back to their base. They were racing through the woods at a fairly brisk pace making sure to distance themselves as much as possible from the location they attacked. As they continued their path passing underneath the belly of a nearby mountain range, tension began to rise.

"Hey Akame, looks like someone picked up on our trail faster than expected," the blonde feline-like female called out whilst detecting a foreign scent in the air.

"I know," responded the red-eyed female, "This person was watching us from a distance during our assault. They want the documents we now possess."

"Want me to double back and take him out?"

"No Leone, the mission cannot be jeopardized. If this person is bold enough to approach five Teigu users, then he is either poorly informed, overconfident, or has a death wish. Perhaps all of the above...nevertheless, let them come."

"I could easily set up a trap with Crossed Tail. If this chump can make it through my razor wire, then perhaps they got some skill. If not, then no effort is wasted," the green-haired male of the group proposed.

"Lubbock, you really are feeling quite cocky tonight," the twin-tailed sniper of the group sneered.

"Well it's not like you can take 'em out Mein, you're not in a pinch with these odds going on. For all we know, your shot with Pumpkin might just tickle the fellow," Lubbock shot back.

"Really? How about we test that theory by letting me bust a cap in your smartass then?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, no need for the excessive use of force sweetheart. Channel that demon energy towards the enemy. Hey Tatsumi, back me up here," Lubbock said whilst referring to his armored friend.

"Hey man, just because I got Incursio here to defend me from a lot of stuff doesn't mean I'm feeling confident enough to act as a human shield for a Pumpkin shot. You're on your own dude," the male in the metal suit dismissed.

"Come on man, us guys gotta stick together! Help me out!"

"Focus everyone, our visitor is gaining ground. Lubbock, get ready to throw out a wide steel net right before the upcoming clearing in less than 500 feet. Mein, take to the highest tree in the area and ready your shot with Pumpkin. Tatsumi and Leone, take up the vanguard position to confront our guest. Lubbock, after your trap is set, you support them. I'll hold onto the documents and observe. If this person is skilled enough to break through our formation, then I will end it myself," Akame instructed as she and her fellow compatriots of Night Raid went forth to execute their plan.

A few moments later, Raizo crossed the distance between his location and his potential targets. As he came upon an area where the light of the moon was concentrated the most, he saw the glimmer of something in the darkness. Raising an eyebrow, he reached behind his back with the right hand to grab one of his scythes and quickly swung down in front of him. Something caught the blade which caused the weapon to get hung up in the air for a moment.

"What the hell?" he uttered as he felt his body get tugged into some sort of net.

"Tch...dammit," he grunted, feeling a coil around his body. He then quickly took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. Feeling a surge of energy well up from within, a crackling display of blue electricity rippled out and washed over the strange wiring thus illuminating their locations.

With a sharp twist of his upper body, the male used the electrical current around him to repel the wires in the immediate vicinity. Then he used his left hand to grab his second scythe and charge the chains and hooked blade with his energy to cut through the threading and retrieve his first weapon. Now armed with both weapons, the youth took a pause to quiet his senses and eliminate any excess aura rolling off of his body before carefully walking towards the clearing.

The light of the full moon passed between the clouds and beamed its radiance straight down over the circular clearing in the wooded area. The trees rustled in the cool night breeze piercing the veil of silence. Raizo had his guard up as he carefully trod into the grassy area. He looked around cautiously knowing that he was not alone here. Then he adjusted his gaze to the immediate left and captured a shadowy silhouette. The radiance from the orb of light above just barely revealed the person's identity as someone with long hair and cold, red eyes.

"It's that girl from before…" Raizo recognized. Even though she was just barely under the shadow of the treeline, he could tell that she was holding onto something.

"You have-…"

In a flash, two shadows burst from the left and right flanks to rush at Raizo from the side. The first was the armored male brandishing a crimson, bell-shaped spear, and the second was the blonde female mixed with the appearance of a lion. As the deadly tip of the spear and sharpness of claws came rushing at the Blood Wolf's position, the male dropped down to take up a battle stance with both scythes in hand. In a complex turn, the red-eyed male seemingly brushed off both attacks and redirected them in opposite directions, throwing both combatants simultaneously.

Tatsumi and Leone kicked off the trees that were nearby to re-engage the youth. As they rushed in once again, they began moving in tandem with one another to attempt to overwhelm Raizo's guard with a flurry of attacks. Spear thrusts and mauling strikes were hurled at the Blood Wolf's stationary position from his left and right sides, the blurring combinations made it appear as if the person caught in the crossfire was locked within an inescapable labyrinth of traps. However, much to their surprise, Raizo made it a point to evade and parry the onslaught with little difficulty as small sparks of light seemingly danced around his body in response.

The apparent shimmying of movement allowed the male to effortlessly evade all of their strikes leaving them only air to attack. After a few seconds of this display, Raizo elected to switch to the offensive on both attackers. As their strikes came barreling towards his position, he snaked around their offensive moves and cut in a few of his own. He casually used the pommel of one scythe to strike at the girl's abdomen while cutting low to sweep the masked warrior off his feet before batting him down with the other scythe across the chest.

In a swift acrobatic display of flips, Raizo rushed the blond woman with his weapons in tow going in for a series of quick, successive slashes that cut up her skin along her inner thighs, exposed abs, and upper arms. As her blood began to seep from her wounds, the male charged up a few bolts of electrical energy before discharging them to send her flying back against a massive tree trunk that abruptly stopped her trajectory and knocked the wind out of her lungs.

Next, he targeted the armor user. He rushed at the masked male with blinding speed whilst the man was standing to his feet holding his spear as support. Tatsumi went to put up his guard, but Raizo broke through without delay. At that moment, the Blood Wolf infused some electrical energy within the hooks of his blades and latched them onto his target's waist. As he ran around him, Raizo dragged Tatsumi behind him and quickly ran up the side of the tree thus yanking him in the air. With the sparking energy coursing around the young male's body, he gathered it to his feet before proceeding to dive kick Tatsumi into his chest, leveling him into the ground below.

"Shit, Tatsumi, Leone!" Lubbock exclaimed whilst appearing from the shadows with steel threads hanging off his fingers. As he worked his magic, the green-haired male tugged the strings to launch a series of steel daggers at Raizo's location on the ground. Yet by spinning his scythes all around him, the lightning-fast assassin swept aside the projectiles coming towards him whilst glaring at his next target.

"Sorry about your friends, I took care not to kill them. Just hand over that envelope, and we can go our separate ways," Raizo proposed in a calm, yet ruthless manner.

"The hell is your damn problem, man? What's so important about that folder? I mean what...does it have pictures of your girlfriend or somethin' in there? I mean hey… if that's the case, you could share the gold, heh…" Lubbock remarked with a nervous chuckle as he stared into the crimson irises of the mysterious assailant.

"My...girl...friend…?"

Raizo's mind flashed back to that fateful day when he lost everything. The night of Blood Wolves' demise… and the night everything changed for him. Out of all of that carnage and death, he saw the visage of the girl with blue hair whom he cherished in his heart die in his arms.

"Assana…" he muttered softly to himself, the sting of tears welling up in his eyes as one lone drop of moisture streamed down his face.

Just ahead of him, Akame—maintaining a tight grip on the documents—saw that solitary expression of human emotion and vulnerability appear. That one action gave her a new perspective on the dangerous situation at hand. This young man was not someone who held a grudge against Night Raid or was sent to kill them for the Empire. No, this was someone who staked their life on seeking answers. All of the years of bloodshed and a longstanding personal history with the Empire gave Akame the experience to discern Raizo's intentions just from that singular action.

"Lubb, you idiot, you dropped your damn guard!" Mein shouted out from her position.

"What the hell are you…"

Just as the guy was about to finish his sentence, Raizo was already on his face with a slightly crazed look in his eye. In a snap, the Blood Wolf raced circles around Lubbock's position; thus coiling the man up within the very same razor wire he wielded. Then he tugged the string to let the man spin like a top on heel and toe as he whirled out of control before smacking his face against the trunk of another nearby tree.

"Tch...dammit, this is turning into a real pinch—which is perfect ammunition for my opening!" Mein grinned whilst pulling the trigger.

A tremendous blast of light emanated from her position thus consuming the ground before her. Fortunately, the angle of the shot allowed her to safely blast the target without cause of concern for her friends' safety. They were conveniently removed from the blast zone. As the beam of energy scorched the earth to consume its intended target, Raizo stood and tucked both scythes. From there, he drew one of the cherished swords from its hilt on his hip and gathered his strength to both hands. Taking a deep breath, he waited for the precise time before swinging his weapon straight down. In an unbelievable display of strength, he cut the light beam in half to effectively negate all potential damage to his person as the shot proceeded to singe the forestry behind him before dissipating into the night.

"What...the….hell is this...guy? That can't be...not even…" Mein stammered over her words from her perch.

"Shit, my location is compromised…" she said before trying to jump down and use the shadows of the trees to run to another location.

"Nice shot, too bad your weapon wasn't good enough," a voice appeared from behind her as she felt a strange tug on her person.

Raizo appeared out of thin air just as she was running past. He reached out and grabbed one of the swinging, pink twin tails that was caught in the breeze and yanked her back towards him. Then in a sudden motion, he reached out and chopped the back of her neck thus knocking her out and causing her to drop to the ground. Picking her up, he carried her to where her nearest comrade—who happened to be Lubbock—was located before setting her down. As four of the members of Night Raid were stunned and disarmed by Raizo's overwhelming power, there was only one assassin left to deal with.

"Seems like it's just you and me now…" Raizo said with a tense tone as he locked eyes with the fellow red-eyed assassin standing in the short distance.

The first four were of reasonable strength, he could admit that much, but they were not too difficult to deal with. Possibly due to them underestimating him. However, he knew in his heart that this mysterious woman was the true threat of the group. His instincts told him that this battle would not be anywhere near easy hence why he tried not to use too much energy fighting the former parties. Raizo drew both swords from his sides.

"I'm gonna have to go all out to get what I want from this one. I...don't even know what to make of her. My body is screaming at me right now from the tension I feel. My nerves are going nuts, but I have to get that envelope. It's my only hope to find him…" he assessed.

The long-haired girl took the envelope and tucked it inside the pocket of her dark red trench coat she was wearing at the time before reaching to the side to draw her blade. The light of the moon glistened against the katana as its ominous presence wafted out.

"That blade of hers is spewing evil… yet, for some reason, I find myself wanting to admire the beauty of it."

"You are a trained assassin, one from birth like me. However, you have become emotionally unstable. That heavy heart of yours weighs your blades," Akame surmised.

"Tch...don't talk to me like you know me. The rage in my heart is all I have going for me to keep me focused on my goal. Now give me that damn envelope!" Raizo cried out.

"Prove to me your worth, and perhaps I will," the girl responded.

As the two locked eyes with one another, the wind blew over their location. Whatever clouds were floating in the sky faded away as the moonlight glistened radiantly overhead. The battle between two red-eyed killers was imminent. Both of them held the guards steady waiting for the other to make the first move. The soft gusts of wind steadily died down. The calmness of the air and stillness of the night carried out and at the faintest sound of a singular leaf falling on the ground between them, both assassins went on the attack.

They rushed at each other as their blades crossed into a deadlock with sparks dancing through the air. The stagnant position held by the two only lasted a brief second before they began their exchange. Raizo alternated his swings with both blades as if batting the air to breach Akame's defense. Without giving any ground, the female warrior parried each of the oncoming strikes with ease as if she felt no weight behind his strikes at all. The cleaving whirlwind of a strong offensive front would have easily overwhelmed any other opponent, such a display of raw strength was enough to put the rest of Night Raid on the ground. However, Akame was of a different breed.

She accepted the oncoming attacks as if she knew that they would not pose any threat to her being. In fact, she did not even move to turn the tables on the boy by using her own weapon to push him back. Instead, she met him with equal force to cancel out his blows. Raizo changed up the rhythm of his movement from a straightforward approach to a more randomized pattern at that point. He finished his current combo with a double-crossing motion using his blades which Akame blocked by turning her sword to a horizontal guarding position.

"Not bad, you have some potential but your movements are too unrefined and poorly calculated. You're wasting your stamina," Akame spoke in a monotone voice whilst critiquing her opponent. All the while still using her horizontal guarding stance to effortlessly hold the weight of Raizo's blades which the youth kept pressing down against her katana. The most humiliating part was the fact that she was only using one hand to guard whereas the Blood Wolf used both limbs to exert his full physical strength.

"Are you seriously criticizing my moves right now in the middle of a fight?" Raizo turned his head to the side with a frustrated expression on his face. Akame merely nodded with a deadpan expression.

"Well, how about you stop wasting my time and just give me the damn envelope then?"

"Nope, can't do that."

"Tch...have it your way!"

Raizo jumped back only to then rush in again whilst attacking at a lower angle swinging both of his swords across horizontally before swiping them back again which Akame merely jumped over. It was here that the boy's movements changed up taking a more acrobatic approach. He performed a half cartwheel-like action bringing one of his weapons overhead to slice his foe at a crescent moon angle. Akame met this action by bringing her guard up once again thus stopping Raizo's swinging mid-air. However, the male persisted with his onslaught by spinning on his left heel to perform a roundhouse kick with his right leg.

Akame reacted effortlessly by bringing up her left arm to block the action. In a swift transition, she wrapped her arm around the boy's leg and proceeded to toss him over her position as if he was a weightless object. Even so, he managed to correct his position by stabbing the ground with his blades and flipping upright once again. From there, Raizo rushed onward towards his target after she landed on the ground. Their colliding steel bashed against one another. The audible echoes rang out like birds chirping in the night as the two appeared evenly matched. The harmonious clanging of steel against steel stirred the wounded members of Night Raid from their unconscious positions.

The fellow assassins of Night Raid could only stare in awe as the two red-eyed warriors had their bout. Their impressive swordplay was difficult to follow but to see someone holding his own against Akame was a sight to behold. Little did they know, this was only the beginning of the intense battle.

Sensing the eyes of her companions watching her fight, she knew that if the confrontation escalated then they might get caught up in the crossfire. Akame was holding back considerably to draw out everything she needed to know about this boy's combat potential. Nonetheless, she knew that he too was holding more of his power back.

"This boy...I need to draw more out of him. In order to do that...a change of venue is needed…"

In a sudden display of athletic capability and martial arts, Akame delivered a surprise high kick to the young man's chin, which knocked blood out of his mouth, followed up by a roundhouse kick that sent Raizo flying back. From there, she took off into the nearby trees after the youth. The Blood Wolf was sent tumbling through the brush of the woods until he was abruptly stopped by smacking through the trunk of a tree and into the ground.

"Guh…" he grunted whilst coughing up

blood.

"That hit… was a lot harder than I previously anticipated…"

As he slowly managed to gather his strength to stand up on his feet. He heard a swift rustling through trees which caused him to immediately enter a guarded stance. It was like the wind itself was passing through the trees in a myriad of directions that he was unable to ascertain. In that next moment, he instinctively took a step back albeit by a narrow margin as Akame rushed past him.

"What the...hell?" the boy mumbled.

In a swift turn, she rushed at him again from a different direction. Except for this time, he was struck in the back by what felt like a blunt object.

"GAH!" he cried out in pain, turning on his heel to swing at her yet she was already gone.

"You should never drop your guard," her echoing voice rang out in his ears.

"Especially when your foe has the advantage of terrain."

Suddenly, he felt another blow hit him on the side. Then across the leg, his arms, over his head, and lastly straight to the gut which brought him to his knees.

"She's clearly not using her sword… so what the hell is she doing that's got me in this position?"

"What did I just say?" she said whilst appearing over him. In her hands, she was holding her sword but it was sheathed in a dark crimson scabbard.

"Am I really not someone worthy of cutting with your precious steel?!" he gritted his teeth in anger.

"If I cut you with this blade, you would die instantly."

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Raizo roared in anger trying to swing at her again.

As quickly as she had appeared before him, Akame disappeared. At that point, the Blood Wolf felt his frustration mixing with his anxiety. He had to stay focused on his goal, but a small part of him feared that this was something that might be out of his league.

"No...fuck that...I have to win. I have no other choice but to do so. I must defeat her!"

"Guard up now," Akame instructed, which Raizo unknowingly did by raising his blades over his chest in a cross shape.

The red-eyed female then appeared out of the darkness with her blade drawn charging straight at him in a direct thrusting motion. The air around her body twisted itself into a conical shape akin to a drill. From there, her direct attack dove head-on and impacted the youth's blades. The epic display of sparks and the resulting force from the collision was enough to create a massive shockwave that instantly balded the trees around them and caused the wooden trunks to topple over. Moreover, Raizo felt his body lift into the air, propelled by the force of her impact. The duo soared through the night skies before making a direct impact into the side of the mountain looming in the distance.

The colossal pillar of Earth protruding thousands of feet into the air buckled before beginning to crumble. An avalanche ensued from the summit colliding with other areas leading to mudslides. The mountain shattered apart into countless pieces of rubble and debris which spread throughout the surrounding area, consuming parts of the forest. Feeling the ground shake from the overwhelming force, the members of Night Raid had to move away from the area as the damage was fast approaching their current location.

In the meantime, the two warriors were caught up in the falling debris as their blades collided through the sky launching themselves off of falling rocks to attack one another. In the distance, this was represented by twinkling lights in the endless veil of darkness like shooting stars. Eventually, the two found themselves unscathed by the tremendous damage done to the land and fully focused on their fight once more as they stared each other down atop the wasteland of rubble their battle had created.

"Fine then...you wanna pull out some destructive force...then I'll gladly oblige you with the same!" Raizo said as his body was engulfed with electricity once again holding up one blade to the heavens

The moonlit sky turned dark as spiraling, black storm clouds appeared overhead. Audible roars of thunder pierced the once peaceful night as strong gusts of wind and sudden torrential rainfall poured over the area. It was here that violent bolts of lightning cracked the skies apart for the briefest moment. Then as Raizo took his sword and pointed it at Akame's position, a strong bolt of electricity reached down to strike the ground; thus blinding her vision for a short period. Taking the advantage here, the Blood Wolf rushed forward.

"A true assassin does not rely on sight alone," she uttered whilst closing her eyes.

Using his amplified movement, Raizo went on to assail his target with a series of quick, successive strikes in a relentless combination meant to overwhelm his foe's guard and leave her open for a final attack. As he unleashed a barrage of wild and deadly slashes towards her position, he heard the echoes of steel screeching against steel. He figured that it was the sound of his blades pushing her guard back meaning that he would have his opening soon enough. However…

"What…"

Akame was visibly parrying each attack thrown at her with her eyes firmly shut. She was blocking every offensive blow effortlessly and gracefully as if it was just second nature to her. Becoming agitated by this, Raizo's desire for victory escalated into desperation.

Raizo kicked away from the female and back-flipped in the air with his shining steel swords in hand. He pointed both weapons up into the air then swung them down as he landed causing the rain to intensify as if they were standing under the pressure of a mighty waterfall. In addition, giant chasms of lightning continually struck the ground around her general location. Yet as the otherworldly storm greatly escalated into a disastrous phenomenon that transcended natural comprehension, Akame stood unfazed. Sheathing her cursed sword, she crouched down in her position whilst slowly inhaling air into her lungs. Seeing her cease all movement, the boy thought it was his chance to strike and proceeded to run towards her.

In that next instant, the torrential rainfall appeared to ground to a halt all around the girl. Each individual droplet appeared before her unabated by colliding against another surface. Simultaneously, the lightning bolts that struck the ground paused as well, appearing like pillars of light firmly anchored into the surface of the earth. As this bizarre phenomena occurred, Akame's eyes shot open as she went on the offensive.

She rushed across the battlefield rapidly closing the distance between herself and Raizo whilst running up the sides of the multiple lightning bolts before her. The Blood Wolf seeing this first hand was caught off guard by it, a fatal mistake on his part. At that point, Akame drew her weapon and proceeded to go on the attack. Her strikes with the singular sword forced Raizo on the defense as he had to block and evade her slash attacks. Unknown to the boy, the red-eyed female was still pulling her punches significantly. The wild sparking collisions of steel sent both warriors all over the place as blinks of light appeared in multiple locations. The momentum that built up between both combatants eventually moved them to another location.

As the other members moved away to a safer location that was just about a mile away from where this skirmish began, they found themselves in utter awe of what was taking place. They could see the commotion from the combatants duking it out from afar. Sparks of light, bizarre weather patterns, and the destruction of a large mountain reshaping the neighboring terrain; all of these events were beyond their imagination.

"My strong sense of smell can only tell that both of them are still going at it," Leone commented.

"I can't even follow them with my scope on Pumpkin," Mein remarked.

"Yeah well...the sparks of light are a pretty good indicator, but their position changes almost every second or so…" Lubbock sighed.

"This guy is really going toe-to-toe with Akame… I don't even know what to think anymore," Tatsumi added as well.

Just as they were carrying on with banter, the two fighters in question interrupted by diving right in the middle of the small clearing as the wind pressure from their sword clashes spread out like violent gusts of a tornado. The clashing caused the earth to tremble as the soil cracked apart leaving more trees to topple over from the resulting disturbance. The members of Night Raid had to shield their faces from the dust and debris, however, the wind was trying to carry them off. Taking note of this, Akame forced Raizo into a deadlock then pushed him back.

"Time to end this…" she uttered, taking a slightly more serious tone.

The atmosphere around the female changed, becoming denser and much more sinister. Her red eyes held a sharp contrast that was filled with killing intent as she glared at the boy. In an instant, the wind direction changed as an ominous tension emanated from her person. The drastic change in aura reached out and overwhelmed Raizo's senses almost as if she grew a hundred times taller whilst holding him in the palm of her hand like she was passing judgment over his life. This sent chills down the boy's spine which reflexively caused him to take a step back. Yet a part of his mind reached out to him.

"If I retreat here… if I run now, I lose everything. I mustn't run away… I mustn't run away… no matter the cost. That information is all I have to go on to find him! Indra… give me more power… I need everything to win!"

Raizo held his ground by taking a strong gulp to consume his anxiety. His blood boiled with what remained of his fighting spirit as streaks of lightning coursed around his body in response. He flipped his blades around in his hands steeling his focus in order to make one last stand. Whatever pain, fear, or anxiety he was feeling right now grew numb as he channeled his senses to focus on the woman before him even if she felt like an immovable mountain.

"Bravery and foolishness are two sides of the same sword," Akame muttered, settling on what needed to be done.

The two warriors rushed forward for one last decisive clash that would settle their duel once and for all. However, it was then that something unexpected transpired. As if everything went into slow motion, a lone shadow dropped from the skies above and landed between the two at the critical moment. An eardrum-shattering echo rang out in the sky. The two red-eyed warriors found themselves looking at one another over a mysterious, metallic obstruction—their blades halted by it.

The object was a mechanical arm that belonged to a woman wearing a black, formal suit with combat boots. She had short, silver hair, pale skin, and a dark green eye patch covering one eye while the other eye was purple in color. All eyes turned to the woman as immediate sighs of relief wafted out of the four assassins in the background. In addition, Akame also relinquished a curt sigh too as her battle pressure disappeared almost instantly.

"Najenda, this is unexpected," Akame remarked to which the woman shrugged.

"I think this has gone on long enough, kids," she replied.

Yielding a curt nod, Akame pulled her blade back and tucked it in its sheath at the woman's behest. Confused, Raizo could only afford to pull his weapons back cautiously, unsure of what this stranger's presence meant exactly for the situation at hand. The rest of the assassins approached from behind with a more relaxed attitude due to the female's presence. As a result, the Blood Wolf concluded that she must have been their leader.

"You must be Raizo, correct?" Najenda asked politely with no hint of malice in her voice or her posture. Still on guard, the male raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"Yeah...you know my name?"

"Indeed, the Revolutionary Army sent me a few messages about you ahead of time," Najenda affirmed as she took a moment to examine the boy's physique from head to toe.

"Hold on a sec boss, this kid is someone headquarters knew about?" Leone asked from the side.

"Yes. He is a new asset of ours."

"Um...excuse me, my dear but...this guy damn near murderized us. I mean do you see the devastation around here?!" Lubbock exclaimed.

"This guy took on all of us and won with ease then battled Akame and did this to the land," Tatsumi explained.

"How the hell are we supposed to deal with him?" Mein criticized with a spiteful look on her face.

"I'm sure it was all due to a misunderstanding. After all, his presence actually coincides with your last mission…"

"Can I just...say…" Raizo went to speak before his vision hazed over. He felt his entire body just shut down on him before toppling over on the ground rendered completely unconscious. The boy overexerted his body, plus he took a lot more damage from fighting Akame than he previously anticipated. This was the result.

"We'll talk later...for now, we need to get back to base," Najenda ordered, "And he comes with us."

*****

"Hey…" a soft voice echoed out.

"Nngh…" another stirred.

"Come on...how long are you going to sleep, Raizo? You really are missing out on the view."

Raizo's eyes reluctantly opened to see the starry night sky illuminated by the light of the crescent moon shining over the land that belonged to the Order of the Blood Wolves. It was truly a pristine sight, one that would completely make another forget that the village below was home to the world's most ruthless assassins. The red-eyed youth turned his attention to the girl sitting next to him who held a smile on her face.

"Assana? Is that... you?" he asked in shock and amazement as he reached out for her but the visage faded away.

The moonlit visage transformed into that of a full moon turned red as giant pillars of smoke and embers trounced through the sky. The smell of burning flesh, blood, and death littered the air as Raizo relived the desecration of his home and the massacre of his clansmen. Eventually, he found himself in the same position once again holding the bullet-ridden body of his dearest friend in his arms.

"Rai...zo...you must...live…" she smiled weakly as life faded from her.

"No...don't leave me...Assana please!" he cried out.

"It's okay to feel pain...it's okay to feel anger...but don't let yourself be consumed by vengeance. You have to move on. The life you have before you has great potential in it. Do not let yourself be a slave to the past. Remember, I'm always watching over you..."

Tears streamed down his face once more as grief, agony, and rage coalesced within his heart. Releasing a cry that would pierce the tragic night, his consciousness came to. Looking up, he saw a vaulted ceiling with wooden beams strewn across.

"I don't know this ceiling…" he muttered to himself.

"Ah...you're awake," a voice echoed from the side. In response, Raizo turned his head to see the visage of the red-eyed female he was previously battling with. Instantly, the male felt the need to protect himself but his body would not respond to his command and all he felt was a massive sense of pain.

"Relax, you have no need to fight anymore. You are safe here," she expressed.

He struggled, but he found the will to at least sit up halfway and found himself lying tucked under a soft, white sheet and matching blanket on top of a pillow-like bed. In addition, he noted that his body was covered in bandages as much of his torn, bloody clothing was removed.

"You were in pretty bad shape so we brought you here to get you treated. I gave you quite a few good cracks, but I tried my best not to deal any severe damage as we fought."

"You...could have killed me with ease at any point in time. Why didn't you? I hurt your comrades and almost tried to kill you, so you were more than justified to end my life."

"That is true, however...those were not my orders. Besides that, you were trying in earnest not to eliminate any of my comrades. I discerned that whilst watching your movements. You did not start fighting seriously until you were up against me. In addition, there was a certain look in your eyes that gave away your intentions and distinguished you from a typical enemy."

Raizo raised his eyebrow, puzzled by the woman's remark and tilted his head, "And...what exactly was that?"

"When Lubbock made that remark about a girlfriend, you paused and tears welled up in your eyes. Plus I sensed a lot of emotional pain as we crossed swords…"

"I…" Raizo was about to say something in response, but the words never came. She was right. He was deeply scarred by the burden on his shoulders almost every single day of his life for the past few years.

"Well anyway, allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Akame."

"Mine is Raizo Arashi."

"Nice to make your acquaintance, Raizo-san."

"Calling me Raizo without honorifics is fine. I don't mind."

"Fair enough, and you may refer to me in the same manner," the girl nodded before rising from her seat.

"Now then, I managed to wash and sew up your clothes. Get yourself together, I'll be outside just around the corner to escort you to the main hall where the others are waiting."

"Hang on a second, my weapons. Where are they?" Raizo asked with a slight hint of panic in his voice.

"Relax, they are in the corner. I took the liberty of cleaning them up myself. Those two swords in particular are very well cared for; almost like you never wielded them once in battle. Given their condition, I almost did not want to touch them but since you used them during our fight, I at least shined them up for you."

"They are...very precious to me, a last memento from someone I cared for deeply. Thank you for treating them so delicately," Raizo responded whilst trying to hide his emotions.

"I'll leave you alone so you can have some privacy for the moment. When you're ready, I'll be waiting in the hall."

As Akame exited the room, Raizo flipped the covers to the side to get out of bed. Gradually, he arose from his position when the aching and numbness collided against his nerves simultaneously causing him to gasp from the pain. He clutched his ribs as he prepared to stand up on his own, the soreness sporadically spread across his body at random. He worked his way over to the corner of the room where a wooden stand sat next to another chair. There he found his weapons neatly stacked with his clothes properly folded up and placed in a pile.

He slipped on the black paints, red-lined white shirt, black haori, and dark brown boots then proceeded to inspect his armaments. Sure enough, the scythes were freshly sharpened and shined up with no evidence of scratches or blood along the edges. In addition, his treasured swords from Assana were also in pristine condition. Strapping himself up, the male proceeded to muster the strength to walk out of the room when he heard a voice call out to him.

[You must have a serious death wish if you can overexert yourself blindly the way you did, boy. You need more training in order to grasp the full depths of my strength. Your recklessness will get you killed before you can ever hope to achieve your revenge at this point.]

"Ah...Indra, nice to hear from you this evening. Gee, thanks for the helpful advice. Next time put it in a memo and title it 'Shit I Already Know.' I got carried away… lesson learned. Nevertheless, it would be nice if you were a little more forthcoming with my capabilities," Raizo mentally shot back at the foreign entity.

[I only pass on what you need to know and what I feel like you can handle. You need to train consistently as opposed to throwing yourself headlong into these ridiculous situations if you wish to survive.]

"Survival means nothing without power and I need plenty of it to achieve my goal in this life. You do your part and I'll do mine."

Raizo then opened the door and proceeded to exit. As he looked to his left, he saw Akame just standing a few feet away waiting for him. Taking note of his presence, she motioned him to follow her. To that end, he complied although it pained him to walk. They proceed to stroll through the long, somewhat narrow hallways that featured high ceilings and plated glass for windows. A basic lighting system kept the pathways lit dimly to provide a less invasive ambiance to them.

Various doorways were present as they walked past which the youth assumed belonged to the other members of the household. As they rounded the next corner, the two slowly descended a massive, marble and stone stairway leading to a large foyer in which a large glass chandelier hung overhead. A long track of red carpet was laid out across hardwood floors which stopped just before a dark, redwood door. Akame turned the bronze knob leading into a large conference hall where a singular stone seat with a red cushion was placed alongside another long red rug on the floor and a crimson banner with a raven over a yellow moon was engraved on the back wall. Inside this room stood the other members of Night Raid with their boss fixed in the seat ahead.

"Ah, the man of the hour has finally risen from his slumber. I trust you had a good night's rest, Raizo-kun?" the woman with the eye patch announced with a modest smirk on her lips as Raizo approached.

"You know my name? Have we met somewhere before?" the youth inquired curiously as Akame walked past him and stood beside the boss' right side.

"No, but I was told about you by a mutual party. Everything about you was sent to me in a file about a week ago. I have been expecting you."

"And...who are you?"

"Forgive me, where are my manners," the silver-haired female chuckled, "My name is Najenda. I am a high-ranking officer in the Revolutionary Army and lead the elite task force specializing in black ops & assassination known as Night Raid. You, Raizo Arashi, are my latest addition to this group as strongly requested by Fujitora."

"Of course that son of a bitch would...tch…" Raizo gritted his teeth.

"Wait a sec boss, you mean this guy is the one HQ sent our way to bolster our forces? Then why the hell did he damn near try to kill us?" the blonde female, currently without feline attributes, interjected.

"You know that mission that I sent you on to retrieve those documents? That was an elaborate plan to draw him out and test his capabilities before seeing if he was worthy of joining us."

"Whoa, whoa, this guy damn near took this handsome mug right off my shoulders here and you mean to tell me that he's gonna be our ally? Boy that escalated quickly," Lubbock sighed whilst placing his hand over his face.

"Yeah needless to say I thought I was gonna fry inside Incursio…" pouted another male with dark brown hair and green eyes. Wearing dark blue pants, a yellow shirt, and a silver trench coat over top, Raizo raised an eyebrow whilst observing his posture. At that moment, he visualized the silhouette of the armor over top of him as he made sense of the boy's identity.

"And he messed up my hair...that's not something I can forgive easily you know," spoke the pink-haired woman who let down her twin-tails thus allowing her long hair to flow freely.

"If it's any consolation, I was only trying to disarm you all...not kill you. I was prepared to if my goal was jeopardized, but I mostly stuck to a non-lethal approach. Sorry if I wounded your collective pride," the red-eyed male shrugged.

"Bro...that's just an asshole's way of saying: 'Yeah, I kicked your asses. Get over it.' Come on man, don't rub salt on the wound," Lubbock whined.

"Heh doesn't matter anyway...Akame put his smartass in check," Leone scoffed.

"If you are looking at me to cover your mistakes in battle, I won't. Though I knew about the truth of this mission in advance, I did not tell you all because I wanted you to show everything you had but that did not turn out well. All of you should brush up on synchronizing your attacks more and on not underestimating a new target even if you have the advantage in numbers. A singular Teigu user should not have been able to best you all in the way that he did. I could understand if we were going up against someone like Budou or Esdeath, but from my point of view, Raizo was telling the truth about his approach. In fact, he held back considerably until he and I crossed swords. Beyond that—the casual attitude all of you brought to the encounter cost the battle for some of you. For instance; Lubbock employed the use of non-lethal wires to initially entrap Raizo which gave him the chance to become a larger problem. Likewise, Mein failed to take the optimal shot when the opponent was made vulnerable by the wiring and instead only attacked after Raizo was able to break free and make his move. Not to mention that her rambling after a failed shot revealed her position and allowed Raizo to easily deal with her at close range," Akame spoke out with a rather disciplinarian tone.

The members of the group instantly shut their mouths and looked down in shame. Akame was the de facto leader of the group when Najenda was not present and the most analytical and observant whilst in the field. Though generally the silent type, she would speak her mind honestly at certain points. This was not to be crude or belittle anyone, but to make people she fought alongside to recognize their shortcomings and adapt quickly so they may survive in these dark times.

"We're up against incredible odds. None of us can afford to make mistakes. Our lives are not guaranteed to us. Just being able to lay down our heads at night and wake up early in the day is a blessing all in itself. We can be here today and gone tomorrow...just like what happened to Sheele and Bulat. We have to better ourselves so that we can see this war through to the end."

Akame's words were powerful and straight to their purpose. As silence wafted over the room, Najenda continued without even chastising the red-eyed killer's words in her speech.

"Anyway, like I was previously saying, the mission to retrieve these documents served two purposes: The first was to test Raizo's capabilities and determine his worth as a recruit for Night Raid. The second was to retrieve intel regarding General Esdeath's movements and the location of particular parties associated with her," Najenda explained whilst opening the envelope and pulling the papers out. Taking a moment, the woman flipped through the pages to read over the gist of what was present.

"I see. According to these documents, General Esdeath is currently looking for recruits to build a new task force specifically designated to deal with us. Going from this, it can be assumed that she will be mostly seeking Teigu users to fuel her ranks due to Bulat managing to destroy her previous group of elite soldiers before his passing. No number has been specified, but I believe we may be outnumbered soon enough. Hence why it was so imperative that we add a recruit of our own."

"Sorry to interrupt here...but Fujitora told me those documents retain the information I was seeking for my own personal gain...compensation for time served so to speak. I'm just a contract killer for the rebels, not a full-fledged member. So with all due respect, this has nothing to do with me and what I want. That being said, feel free to escort me out of here," Raizo surmised.

"It does have quite a bit to deal with you actually. I know who it is you're after, Raizo-kun. Aquilo, otherwise known as 'The Silver Fox', correct?"

Raizo went silent which was a clear indicator that the fierce leader of the group was spot on with her question.

"You might want to take a look at these papers and see if you change your mind," she said whilst handing them to Akame who strolled over and passed the papers to him.

Examining the documents, he saw Esdeath's profile and read over her military accomplishments and victories. Then he saw a certain line that caused him to tense up.

"She's...the one…who led the troops to…"

"Yes...General Esdeath and her army were the ones responsible for killing the Order of the Blood Wolves. About a few days after the public execution of Raiden Ikazuchi-Arashi, Aquilo joined the Imperial Army and became her protege. And over the past four and a half years, he has ascended the ranks to become a noteworthy officer with several accomplishments of his own. Given his affiliation with the Ice Queen, it is likely that he will join his teacher's ranks of Teigu users."

"Tch…" Raizo seethed with anger. Even though his wounds were still fresh and throbbing in pain, the male could not help but let himself get tense. A few sparks of electricity revolved around his body in response.

"Easy…" Akame said while reaching out and grabbing the boy's shoulder to quell his rattled nerves to which he complied by relinquishing a long exhale.

"I will not give you any promises that what you seek will be yours; however, I invite you to join us. Become a member of Night Raid and you will eventually run into those responsible for the massacre of your family. Through us, you will have access to resources of information you never thought was possible which will aid you one step at a time towards your goal. In addition, you'll have the opportunity to work with the best warriors in the land. Cooperate with us, be receptive to our cause, and work with us towards the goal of bringing in a better tomorrow for this land and in return, you may have that chance of justice you fervently seek," expressed Najenda.

"I guess being a lone wolf has its limits. Very well, I suppose I could tag along for now just to see how it all goes. Not sure I like the idea of playing well with others… but if it's a way to get me closer to that man… and to this woman… so be it," Raizo nodded in agreement.

"Excellent...then Welcome to Night Raid, Raizo Arashi."

"Thanks...I guess."

"Well, he seems a little edgy but I guess it's nice to have another guy on the team. Welcome aboard, the name's Lubbock," spoke the snarky, green-haired man who came up towards the male's position.

"I'm Tatsumi… guess this is the first time you see my face since I was wearing all that armor before," spoke the brown-haired youth waving from the side.

"Yeah… kinda guessed that using my imagination," the red-eyed youth responded.

Suddenly one of the females approached the boy from behind and politely pushed Akame away. A strange sniffing sound entered Raizo's ears which caused him to jump a bit.

"What the hell?!"

"Hmm… you know you got a good scent on ya and you're pretty cute too from a certain angle. Anywho, the name's Leone. What's up?" she smiled enthusiastically.

"Um… no… why the hell were you just sniffing me a split second ago? Boundaries… learn them… now," Raizo criticized.

"Oh yeah, she's got a bit of an animal in her thanks to her Teigu so just a heads up my dude. She's a serious predator sometimes. I mean… ask Tatsumi," Lubbock warned.

"Yeah… I've gotten a face full of boobs when I got into the group," Tatsumi blushed a bit.

"Still just a little jealous over that man… those cannons are so soft, but not nearly as endearing as someone else I'm enamored with," Lubbock commented.

"Boys, it's not nice to talk about a lady's assets while she's in the room you know," Leone asserted with a slightly scary tone in her voice.

"Ahem, sorry to interrupt this pervert convention but I guess I will give this problem child the privilege of knowing my name. I am the genius sniper of Night Raid known as Mein. However, you can call me Lady Mein," the pink-haired female declared.

"Oh...you're the chick whom I yanked by the hair and chopped on the back of the neck… yeah. How are you feeling by the way?" Raizo spoke in a deadpan voice.

"Excuse me?! That was just a lucky low blow you managed to get in. How dare you?!"

"You're the one who dropped her guard…"

The audible echoes of stomachs growling rolled out at once.

"Time for dinner… which means meat. Tatsumi come, we must prepare all the meat dishes we can for the night," Akame proposed.

"Uh… Akame, we need to have some vegetables as well to keep it balanced," the boy added as he followed the black-haired beauty out of the room and towards the kitchen.

"Well nice to see things are getting lively around here," Najenda said whilst rising from her seat to walk over to Raizo.

"It may seem different, especially compared to the environments you were brought up in. However, I sincerely wish that you will come to call this place home and try to fit in."

"Hm...no promises...I don't like getting attached honestly…"

"I know, I read your file in-depth. I cannot fathom the pain in your heart, but try to find some form of peace here. Make sure you get plenty of rest after you eat, we'll be taking on our next assignment once you've recovered."

Najenda patted him on the shoulder with her good arm.

"Now then, why don't we all head into the dining room and have a proper meal?"

Raizo stepped away from Najenda abruptly, "I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm not exactly up for a dinner with the family right now. If you don't mind, I'll just head back upstairs and meditate then get some sleep."

"Fair enough," the leader of the group promptly responded.

"Lubbock, be a dear and guide Raizo back to his room."

"Anything for you Lady Najenda," Lubbock smiled before signaling Raizo to follow him.

As the two males left the arena, the rest of the group headed off to enjoy dinner.

"You really think he'll make a good addition to the team?" Mein asked suspiciously.

"Indeed. He may not see the purpose in our cause right away, but give him some time. If you only knew half of what was in that boy's dossier, you would understand why he's so standoffish. He's rough around the edges, but try to have some patience with him."

"Well if the boss is willing to put some faith in him then why the hell not? Besides, it's nice to have another kiddo like him to bully~" Leone chuckled.

"Ugh, really girl? First Tatsumi, and now this Raizo guy? Seriously, you're just looking at every guy you think is cute as a snack."

"Hey, it's not my fault that the lion in me likes a good hunt. Who knows? I might have a little snack down the line."

"Girl, you need to learn two things: subtlety and context. Just because you have the powers of a beast, doesn't mean you have to act like one."

"Oh, what's the matter, Mein? Are you just bein' insecure because you're so lightweight up top and can't get attention from the boys?"

"EHHHH?"

As Mein and Leone proceeded to go back and forth with their antics, Najenda shook her head.

"You kids today…good grief."

Meanwhile, Lubbock and Raizo were already halfway towards their destination as they continued to walk in silence together. Unable to bear the uncomfortable quietness outside of an actual job, the comedian of Night Raid had to break it with some mild banter.

"So uh...yeah this is our base...a nice little fortress we like to call home that's far enough from prying eyes that no one will notice us yet close enough to the Capital to reach its outer reaches in about one night. You don't have to worry about anything out here."

"Convenient," Raizo remarked plainly.

"The guys are stationed down this part of the hallway while the girls have their rooms located on the other side for… privacy I guess. Kinda sucks because as men, we have our needs and curiosities right?"

"No. I have no need for such distractions."

"Yikes… I mean… surely you…"

"No, I don't. I don't have a reason to even look at women in any form of desire or affinity… not anymore," Raizo's voice trailed off as Assana's face ran across his mind.

"Right… listen. About that remark I made before while we were fighting, I apologize. Now that we're to become allies and I don't know that much about you, I don't want to cause you any undue pain."

"It's fine. I let myself get sentimental during battle. A mistake like that could cost me my life."

"You really are carrying a heavy burden on your shoulders, aren't you?" Lubbock spoke empathically.

"I carry a duty to enact as a tribute to the fallen ones of my clan. I shall not rest until the score is settled."

The duo arrived in front of the room where the red-eyed survivor was arranged to lodge in.

"Alright, here we are back at your room and everything. One last thing to mention. When you feel like nature is calling or you just want to get yourself properly cleaned up, there's a shortcut just down the hall and around the corner to our improvised bathroom area. We usually have times arranged for when the females and the males can use the springs to bathe. As for when nature calls, just go outside. I'm kidding, we managed to get a working toilet system up and running. Eventually, we'll construct a real shower… but a certain someone is really wanting fancy stone and tiles which are not exactly in the budget right now."

"Er… right… duly noted."

"It may not be the best time to say this… but here in Night Raid, we believe that as comrades we must share our burdens with one another. Too much weight on any one person's back will break them eventually. Hopefully, you learn to trust us so that we can help you."

"We shall see… but for now, I just need time to think."

Lubbock gave a curt nod as he left Raizo alone in the room. Setting his weapons down, Raizo then slipped off his coat and sat at the foot of the bed. Holding his head in his hands, the male felt himself beginning to break.

About two days or so passed as Raizo mostly kept himself isolated to cope with his emotions whilst reviewing all of the information Najenda gave him. He only really emerged when he was informed of when the guys were allowed to bathe and periodic restroom breaks. Akame visited him off and on throughout the day to check on him and make sure his injuries were healing well. In addition, she also brought him fresh linens and plates of food to eat. As that time passed by, Raizo regained his full strength.

On the morning of the third day after his arrival at Night Raid, he navigated his way through the base on his own and accidentally discovered the training courtyard. The empty lot filled with dummy targets, wooden weapons, and stone tiling brought his mind back to the days when he would wake up to train by himself and practice his fundamentals.

The sun was barely peeking over the tree-covered horizon, the sound of birds chirping in the forests combined with the crisp, gentle flowing motion of the nearby river gave a serene feel to the early atmosphere. Feeling a little less guarded, the unarmed youth allowed himself to enjoy the time here by warming his muscles up with a few stretches to get limber. Removing his torso wear, he moved on into some light cardio and muscle-building exercises to get his blood flowing. Lastly, he practiced his martial arts whilst acting like he was holding his two weapons in hand fighting against any particular target. As he continued his routine, another early riser joined in whilst silently approaching from the side.

"You have quite the impressive form. I can tell you trained almost every day of your life given how fluid your movements are. Are you up for a little spar?" Akame inquired as she walked over and grabbed two wooden swords.

"I'm confident in my skills, but you already knocked me around once. As much as I hate openly admitting it, I'd prefer not to get embarrassed first thing in the morning," he politely declined.

"Come, some of the more skilled warriors say that you can tell a lot about a person by the way they fight. Think of it as an opportunity to get to know each other better."

"Really Akame? I mean...no offense, but you don't exactly come off as the social type. Why are you so fixated on me?"

"Call it a warrior's intuition, but I wish to confirm something for myself."

"Well… I can sense that you're not gonna take no as an answer so… why the hell not?"

Akame tossed Raizo the two wooden swords whilst grabbing another one for herself. The two red-eyed warriors took their respective battle stances as the morning sun rose slowly over the horizon as their witness. Both assassins stared each other down intently whilst waiting for the other to make the first move. Upon the sound of birds chirping in the trees, the duo began their friendly bout.

The echoes of the wooden swords batting against one another filled the air as the two carried on for nearly a minute. Then in one decisive swing, Akame turned on her heel and batted both weapons out of Raizo's hands.

"A good rhythm, but you kept overthinking your movements which made your steps repetitive," Akame judged.

"Tch...I was just getting warmed up, that's all," Raizo tried to excuse but that did not sway the girl's opinion.

"Let's go again."

The long-haired beauty waited for Raizo to arm himself once again as they set up for another round. Then in a few more decisive paces, Akame had him beaten.

"Too shallow. Show your enemy your hesitation, and in an instant, they can turn the tide. Try again."

Another round started which inevitably went to Akame's favor.

"Too sloppy. Keep your movements simple and precise yet still unpredictable. You lack variety."

After an intense 15 minutes of back-to-back combative rounds, the two finished. Raizo laid sprawled out on the ground unexpectedly exhausted by the drills. As he panted from the workout, Akame walked over with a cool, damp towel for the boy after putting the swords away. She sat down beside the youth and handed him the cloth. While Raizo accepted the gesture and proceeded to wipe his brow, the woman gave her analysis.

"You possess a wealth of skill and potential; however, your capabilities are limited because you let your emotions guide your actions. Rage can be a powerful tool, but it is limited in practical use after an extended period of time. Letting it control you too much leads to poor judgment. In addition, it only further increases anxiety or frustration. I am not trying to chastise you, Raizo; I can tell you are immensely motivated… driven to carry out your goal. However, you need to learn how to control yourself and practice patience," Akame explained calmly in hopes her message would get through.

"Maybe you're right," Raizo said whilst sitting up, "Maybe I am being impatient… and maybe I am weighed down by my feelings. Yet… trying to quell this beast in my heart while knowing the source of my pain still walks the earth day by day escaping his fate just makes my blood boil."

"I know that look in your eyes. That is a burning passion for revenge, fueled by hate. I heard about your clan, the Order of the Blood Wolves, correct? One of the five great clans that make up the Conclave… yes. That clan is one held with high regard in the world of assassins… those who know about their history that is. What happened nearly five years ago…"

"Is why I'm here today working with the Revolutionary Army and joining up with you all; there is no noble cause, no justice for the oppressed, or belief in peace pushing me to fight in this war. I just want the debt to be repaid. I want the blood of every single bastard responsible for massacring my family… my comrades… and… someone I held dear…" Raizo responded as he clenched his fists tightly.

Akame sighed heavily drawing on personal experience, "I too know what it is like to have your world shaken upside down and all you've ever known taken from you. I have my own share of family problems. It is not my place to tell you to turn away from this path. I am not that kind of person. What I will say to you is this… if you truly wish to carry out your goal, then you need to reevaluate your prowess as a warrior. And you also need to truly familiarize yourself with the depths of your power and the potential powers of your foes."

"How do you propose I do that?"

"I'll train you. I'll help you refine your skills and reel in your blind rage and I'll help you understand what it truly means to be a Teigu user. It won't be easy. I can sense that there's a lot of old habits I'll need to be prepared to break, but if you're willing then I'm offering you a chance to take one step closer to your goal."

"Heh… I'm normally not one to seek help… but if it'll help me bring down the son of a bitch who took everything from me—I'm in."

Nodding in affirmation, the two shook hands as they concluded their training session together.

About two hours or so passed as the entire household came together in the dining hall to enjoy the first sizable meal of the day. A variety of plates was laid out such as eggs, bacon, toast, fried fish, sausage, rice, fruit, and other small meat dishes. Night Raid had gathered around and sat together to enjoy the feast before them. Najenda sat at the head of the table and going clockwise sat Lubbock, Tatsumi, and Mein on the right-hand side of the table. Then Leone, Raizo, and Akame on the left side. As the plates were being distributed and breakfast began, something peculiar was happening that had everyone at the table somewhat puzzled.

"Here, you need this for protein. And this, also make sure you get this as well for added nutrients. Have a cup of milk for stronger bones. And try this meat dish out. You're rather lean for your age so you need to build up some muscle for the training regimen I have in mind," Akame said whilst taking her fork and adding more food to Raizo's plate.

"Akame...um...isn't this a little too much to eat in one sitting?" the Blood Wolf's eyebrow twitched.

"Nonsense, and you should know that this is only for the betterment of your health for the harsh training ahead. I'm preparing you in advance."

"What the hell happened to bring on this development?" the thought shared by Lubbock, Tatsumi, and Mein.

"Well...Akame isn't completely wrong. Ya are kinda scrawny there, Raizo-chi~" Leone playfully winked.

"The hell did that -chi thing come from?!" the youth gasped.

"That's what you're shocked about?!" Lubbock, Tatsumi, and Mein thought in unison.

"Well then, I'm glad to see you two are getting along. You know...from a certain angle, these two could totally pass as siblings," Najenda analyzed.

Night Raid looked at both Raizo and Akame and noted the red-eyes and the black hair, but one key difference, besides gender, popped out.

"What the hell is going on with that white patch of fluff though?!" Mein pointed out.

"Yeah, that is kind of an interesting trait to have," Tatsumi pondered.

"Normally I wouldn't ask this of a guy but… Raizo… does the curtain match the...DOH!" Lubbock was interrupted as an empty plate smacked him in the face.

"There are some things you just don't say out loud Lub… and the fact that you would imply asking a girl about this is so damn rude," Leone said in an annoyed tone.

"I don't get it…" Raizo raised an eyebrow, clearly missing the metaphor.

"Why is he so innocent?" Leone, Mein, and Tatsumi thought.

"So lively this morning, how nice. Well, I would hate to interrupt such a pleasant meal and vivacious conversation, but I just received some intel this morning. There is a fighting tournament taking place in the Capital in a few days that Esdeath herself will be attending. It will be completely open to the public," Najenda explained.

"Nice, this is a perfect chance to dig up some dirt on that task force she's building," Leone concluded.

"Indeed which is why I'm sending you all in for a recon mission. You are not to engage the enemy at all for we do not know who will be in attendance or what type of personnel they will have on sight," Najenda stressed.

"Looks like we'll be doing a lot of watching from the shadows since we have wanted posters all over town," Lubbock sighed.

"Well… I don't. I mean, I could enter the tournament as a competitor and scout out the other combatants. Maybe I can get some info that way. Plus it would be a nice chance to level up a bit," Tatsumi proposed.

"Fair enough, I will allow it. However, try not to stand out too much from the other fighters."

"You got it, Boss."

"Hey, maybe Raizo could join in as well?" Lubbock added in.

"Yeah see if he gets his ass kicked," Mein snickered.

"Can't… sorry," Raizo denied.

"Huh? Why? Are you scared or something?" Mein goaded.

"No, I have my own wanted poster as well. Let's just say… the Capital is wary of storms."

"Ah yes, that too was in your file. You should restrict yourself to the shadows, Raizo-kun. Your hair would also be a dead giveaway to your identity," Najenda advised.

"Right."

"As for myself, I will be heading back to HQ. Apparently, recruits have been assigned to Night Raid so I have to go inspect the wares and bring them back myself. It'll take me a few days so in my absence, Akame is the de facto leader of the group."

"Right," the red-eyed killer nodded.

"This is shaping up to be an interesting week," Lubbock chuckled as the subtle atmosphere of excitement filled the room.

"Yeah...I wonder if HE will be there too…" Raizo quietly thought to himself.

*****

Hundreds of miles down south was a small out-of-the-way village that fell just within a hair's breadth or so of Imperial jurisdiction. Home to groups of merchants, farmers, miners, blacksmiths, and other tradesmen, the town generated enough resources to earn a decent income through trading with other nearby settlements and expeditions to be sent to the Capital. Due to its somewhat remote location, the presence of Imperials was rather scarce except around times of political intrigue and tax collection. As a result, it was a secret that members from the Revolutionary Army would frequent the village to buy supplies and provide some aid from time to time. Today, this very same peaceful settlement that was completely out of the way and unbeknownst to most people in the Imperial Court was being torn asunder.

Plumes of smoke rose to the sky as flames spread from house to house. Shrieks of terror rang out begging and pleading for anyone to help as the sound of gunfire followed suit. Bodies of men and women of all ages were strewn about the dirt roads as the scent of charred flesh and death mingled in the air. As survivors tried to scramble around to grab their families and run, men in white and blue uniforms chased after them with wicked smiles on their faces.

"Run! Run for your lives! The Empire is here to kill us all!" someone cried out before being silenced by a bullet to the brain.

Imperial soldiers were everywhere as a small contingent of about a 100 men wreaked havoc in any way they saw fit. People were dragged from their homes and flogged, some were skinned alive by bayonets and daggers. Others had the unfortunate fate of having their dignity stolen in front of their loved ones. The soldiers killed, pillaged, and raped as their hearts desired without any hesitation. In that chaos—a minor group of men had a certain family dragged to the square.

"Why are you all doing this? Are we not citizens of the Empire?" asked the older gentleman in the group.

"You were, but now you're just nothing but filthy traitors receiving their punishment," a voice echoed approaching from the shadow of the flames in the background.

At the tender age of 19, he was a taller male that stood a little over six feet tall with long, silver hair and bright, emerald green eyes. He wore a black trench coat with silver shoulder pauldrons over the white and blue of his imperial uniform. On the patch over his right breast pocket was the emblem of a fox. In his right hand, he brandished a golden spear.

"You… I heard of you… you're The Silver Fox, Vice General Aquilo!" the man proclaimed.

"The one and only. Now let's get this over with. We received reports that this village was lending supplies to the rebel army to help fund the war effort for the insurrection against the Empire. For your crimes of high treason, this whole settlement has been condemned to death. The Prime Minister saw it unfit for the leaders to be put on trial, an example needed to be made," Aquilo proclaimed.

"Gotta say I love the smell of chaos in the morning. This is the most entertainment I've had in ages. However… more needs to be had. So why don't we have a little fun? You four, grab the two men. You three can grab the older bitch there. I take it I don't need to say what to do right?"

The soldiers acknowledge the order right then and there. The two men were held by the respective soldiers as they began to carve their skin using bloody knives as slow as they possibly could. As for the older woman in her forties, she had her clothes torn away while the trio of soldiers handling her began to take advantage of their base instincts. They groped her breasts and rubbed her skin whilst pressing their lips and tongues all over her body. Then, they proceeded to undo their pants and push her down onto the ground before violating her body for their pleasure.

"Ah, I figured that was your wife. What's the matter, old man? Are you mad that my men are giving her more than you ever could? It must be hard being the mayor, you have so much responsibility that you can't keep it up at night right?" The Silver Fox expressed coldly.

"Mother, Father, Darling, please! No, not my family!" the other female cried out as she watched the younger man being skinned alive next to her father and her mother assaulted in the public square.

"Oh dear, I forgot about you. Tell you what, allow me to give you some form of peace then," Aquilo said whilst making a gesture for his men to release her and her husband.

"Go to your love, spend what little bit of time you have with him."

The female instantly ran over to the man and shed tears of joy and anguish.

"And now you will go together," Aquilo said before tossing his spear and impaling both of them in one shot with his spear.

"NOOOOO, YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!" the mayor cried out in anger.

"That's right… and don't you forget it. I took everything away from you, but I won't take your life. No, I want you to witness all the suffering and death caused by your traitorous actions. Then when my men are finished, you can die in disgrace and be forgotten."

"Sir, a messenger bird just dropped this off," a soldier said, bringing over an envelope. Aquilo opened it and read its contents before tucking it in his jacket pocket and going over to retrieve his spear.

"Captain," he called over one of his subordinates.

"Yes sir?"

"Take command of the contingent. Have whatever fun you wish and make sure everything and everyone is burned to the ground."

"Roger that, sir."

"I'll be taking the rest of the platoon back home. Move out by dusk."

Aquilo walked away from the scene and whistled calling over a black stallion with a dark crimson and white saddle strapped to it. Then he rode off into the distance leaving the rest of his men to fulfill their desires.

The carnage continued for what felt like hours on end after the Silver Fox's departure. The horrific cries of women and children radiated like a bloody symphony in the flames of destruction as the soldiers satiated their lust as they saw fit. One muscular man in particular cornered a child that was no older than 12. She had long, reddish-brown hair that extended down to her shoulders and cyan-colored eyes. The soldier's face was filled with hunger and sickening intent as he reached for the girl and pinned her down. Reaching down to pull off her trousers, he licked his lips insidiously.

"Just relax, you're going to enjoy this—GUH?!" he was saying before his words were cut off. Promptly, his head fell from his shoulders as did the heads of some of the other nearby men.

"I know you boys are into some kinky shit, but I ain't about to let this degeneracy happen on my watch," a wily, husky voice echoed in the darkness.

From the veil of darkness emerged a single beacon of light. The little girl only saw the glow of red eyes watching over her with a matching crimson scarf dancing in the breeze. In absolute darkness, a hero had emerged to vanquish the night.