35 Chapter: 34 Decision

After introducing Bane to the Night Raid members, Najenda shifted her focus to the unconscious girl lying on the bed behind him, her face obscured by a oxygen mask. She then glanced back at Bane, recognizing the connection between his earlier outburst and the girl.

"Do you know this girl?" she asked, sensing that Bane's bloodlust was tied to her.

"....."

Bane did not reply to Najenda's question. His gaze then returned towards the unconscious girl on the bed. After a brief interval, he reached an internal conclusion.

'She can not be Liya.'

The unconscious girl in front of him just bore a striking resemblance to Liya, from her facial features to her black hair. 

Initially, Bane believed she might be Liya, especially after hearing the song from the boy. However, upon closer examination, he realised she couldn't be Liya due to her young age and the painful fact that Liya was already dead.

Recalling Liya's words about having remaining relatives in her village after her parents' passing, Bane deduced that the girl lying before him must be someone related to Liya's family lineage. She had likely inherited the same features as Liya, explaining the resemblance.

'....'

Bane stood inside the room motionless, grappling with the overwhelming flood of emotions that engulfed him. 

The weight of guilt and sorrow from Liya's and Ron's deaths bore down heavily on his shoulders. Nights spent in restless agony replaying the tragic events haunted his every waking moment.

Just as a glimmer of hope flickered within him, it was swiftly snuffed out, leaving behind a profound emptiness. However, Bane refused to succumb to the overwhelming emotions.

Bane took a moment to compose himself before addressing Najenda in a subdued tone. "The girl who is unconscious here resembles someone I knew. I mistook her for someone else."

Despite the sweet tone of his voice, an undercurrent of sorrow was palpable to everyone in the room.

Najenda nodded in understanding and approached the girl. After observing her for a moment, she asked, "Is the person you're referring to, Liya?" 

Bane, after staying silent for a moment, just nodded his head in response, confirming Najenda's suspicions.

Bane already knew that Najenda had already been briefed by Geralt about his deceased parents, allowing her to piece together the situation.

Najenda then turned her attention to Leone and demanded, "Leone, give me a detailed account of the previous mission without omitting any details. I have already heard of your recent actions from Akame, so be prepared to take disciplinary punishment based on your actions during the mission."

Leone, upon hearing Najenda's stern words, flinched and reverted from her beast's transformation to her human form. And after that, she reported Najenda the details regarding the mission.

Despite trying to appear pitiful during her explanation, Najenda knew Leone was doing it in order to evade her punishment, so she remained unmoved by Leone's act.

"I'll discuss your punishment after the meeting," Najenda informed Leone before shifting her focus to Lubbock. "Lubbock, how are their conditions?" she inquired, directing her gaze to the green-haired Lubbock, who was standing with Akame.

Scratching his head, Lubbock approached Najenda and solemnly stated, "It pains me to say this, but it is impossible to save this girl. The multiple injuries in critical areas and the severe blood loss resulting from torture have left her beyond rescue. Although I have done some stitching to address the damage, it is only a temporary fix, and she still can die at any time."

After a short break, he remarked, "Regarding the boy on the adjacent bed, despite his better physical appearance compared to the girl, it's only superficial. The boy's major vital organs are ceasing to function as Lubora disease takes its toll on his body. It's remarkable that he's still alive, even in the disease's advanced stage, but the boy also can't be saved from his demise." Lubbock concluded.

Najenda remained silent for a brief moment, maintaining her composure even after hearing both conditions from the teenagers. She then turned her gaze to Bane, whose mask concealed his expression as he stood motionless, his aquamarine eyes fixed on the girl.

"..."

After a while, Bane uttered in a slow and melodious voice, ".....Only the strong survive, while the weak perish,...it is the law." His words resonated throughout the room.

Najenda, upon hearing Bane's words, felt a chill run down her spine,.....These words were reminiscent of someone else, sending shivers down her spine but she immediately controlled herself after a few seconds.

Even the Night Raid members were surprised after hearing Bane's ruthless words towards the teenagers, especially even after learning about their severe conditions.

Tatsumi, who also heard Bane's voice, clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on his palms. Despite Bane's earlier display of power, Tatsumi couldn't fathom how he could utter such cold and ruthless words about his suffering friends, who were now teetering on the brink of death.

Tatsumi was about to voice his disagreement with Bane's comment about his friends, but he immediately fell silent as he observed Bane reaching into his coat and taking a cube-shaped item. 

To his astonishment, Tatsumi saw Bane take out a blood red pill from the cube and slowly approach Sayo with it. Was he trying to end Sayo's life by making her consume poison? This was the thought that instantly came to Tatsumi's mind.

"STOP! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO SAYO? KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM HER!" Tatsumi's voice echoed through the room as panic gripped him, suspecting that Bane might be trying to harm Sayo.

Tatsumi immediately moved to intervene, ready to sprint towards Bane and prevent any potential harm to his friend. However, Leone swiftly halted him in his tracks, recognizing Najenda's signal and instructing her to stop Tatsumi.

"What are you doing with this girl, Bane?" Najenda said as her voice rang out inside the room, her tone was serious as she addressed Bane. 

Najenda internally contemplated that perhaps Bane was trying to end the girl's suffering by letting her die a painless death. However, she also understood that it was not Bane's decision to decide the girl's fate, especially considering Tatsumi's close bond with the girl.

"......"

Bane paused his actions and remained silent for a few moments. Then, he retrieved a dagger from his coat and deliberately made a deep cut from his middle finger to the end of his palm, ensuring that everyone present could see the severity of the wound.

Everyone in the room, except Najenda, was puzzled by Bane's self-inflicted wound. Had he gone mad they thought as they wondered why he would harm himself in such a manner. 

However, their thoughts were interrupted by a sizzling sound, and to their astonishment, they witnessed Bane's skin rapidly healing itself before their eyes. In a matter of seconds, his hands returned to their smooth, unblemished state, as if the deep cut had never occurred.

After his hands recovered, Bane said, "This pill is made from my own blood. I have recovered this pill after assassinating a slave dealer who had received it from the scientists after making a deal with him." 

He paused for a moment and continued, "....The scientist who had made the deal with the slave dealer was the one who had extracted my blood from me to make this pill during my imprisonment at the research facility."

Bane then moved his aquamarine gaze towards Tatsumi and said, "And during my imprisonment, I have heard from that bastard that this pill can instantly heal any injuries, however I can't confirm its effects as I haven't tested it….but if you want this girl to live, then your last chance is to let me administer this pill to the girl." Bane concluded as his voice reverberated inside the room.

Bane's words echoed in the tense atmosphere of the room, especially for Tatsumi, who couldn't understand why Bane would attempt to save Sayo after his earlier harsh remarks. 

However, after realizing that Bane had no actual reason to kill Sayo, as she would still die in a few hours and if there was even a single bit of truth in Bane's words, then this was Tatsumi's last hope to save Sayo.

Tatsumi knew time was crucial, and Sayo's life hung in the balance, so he silently nodded, signaling his acceptance of Bane's decision.

The revelation of Bane's experiences, enduring torture and blood extraction in a laboratory, left everyone in the room grim and disturbed. 

All the Night Raid members knew the current situation of Empire, but it still left a bitter taste in thier mouth after listening Bane's description of his time as a labrat in a slaughter house at such a young age.Just the thought of experiencing such cruel experimentation made their blood run cold,

Especially Akame was in a deep turmoil after hearing this particular piece of information struck a particularly deep chord as she realized that Bane had shared the same horrific fate as her sister.

Najenda remained composed, having already been informed about Bane's history from her readings. She knew about his imprisonment at the research facility, a unique case where only his blood was being extracted.

Despite efforts by the revolutionary army members to uncover the reason, they found no clues. Only Bane and Geralt knew the true purpose behind it, a secret they kept tightly guarded among themselves.

Understanding Bane's discretion, Najenda realized the dangers of such a miraculous pill becoming known. Even within the revolutionary army, the temptation for its effects could lead to greed and conflict.

Najenda admitted to herself that she too would be tempted if it meant regaining lost faculties like her eyes and arms.

'If the pill's effects are as miraculous as Bane defines then this pill is just too valuable.' Everyone inside the room thought collectively.

'But why is Bane trying to use this precious pill for this girl, whom he had never met? Is it because the girl resembles his late mother?' Najenda thought to herself.

"Are you certain about saving this girl? This pill is incredibly valuable and could fetch you immense wealth if sold. You could also keep it for yourself, considering it may can heal you instantly from severe wounds, your regeneration ability is slow in healing large injuries and this pill can be a lifeline for you if a dangerous situation arises in the future ," Najenda inquired, seeking clarity from Bane.

Despite his calm demeanor, Bane was also grappling with self introspection. Why was he trying to save a girl he had never met before?

Would saving her bring back Liya? The answer was a resounding "No." Was he attempting to absolve his guilt by saving this girl? Again, the answer was "No."

Bane couldn't articulate a clear justification for his decision to use the pill to save the girl, especially considering its immense value. He knew his actions were foolish and by saving this girl he would gain nothing. But he had made up his mind.

".....I am aware of the consequences, and I have already made up my mind," Bane stated slowly as he removed Sayo's mask and positioned her head to facilitate her consumption of the pill.