Slay Your Punishment

Year: 1025

Back in his personal tent, Fujitora sat at his desk filing papers in the midst of the early night. It was business as normal for an officer of his standing within the Revolutionary Army as he was checking over reports about various topics from the status of the defenses around the base to statements from spies around the land. It was a tedious thing that should be left to an intern or something but he preferred to personally open any information that came directly into his inbox. There was a reason for this after all.

That reason arrived when he found a specially sealed scroll that had the stamp of a fox within melted wax. Looking up from his desk, he wanted to make sure that no one was coming toward his tent before opening it to view the contents inside. Once the coast was clear, he grabbed a nearby knife to cut open the seal and unravel the document. The contents read were as follows:

"Fujitora,

We're about to begin moving out soon. Any particular locations of interest for us to hit to make sure this war is evenly balanced would be appreciated; those people from the Sapphire Phoenix have been dealing massive blows to the morale of the imperial army and Esdeath is becoming hard to control. She may be taking the field herself soon. Try to get back to me as soon as you read this; we're moving out in a matter of days.

--The Silver Fox"

As Fujitora finished reading the paper, he immediately took it and threw it in the fireplace so no one would know. Yes, this man was indeed in league with those in the Capital and The Silver Fox—Aquilo—was his closest ally. They had been cohorts for many years as Fujitora recognized that the infamous general would be a worthy ally to help him realize his ambition of sitting upon the throne of the Empire. Fujitora was a cunning man; one who knew how to play this war like it was nothing but a game of thrones. Although he does believe that the current empire does need to be destroyed, he didn't care for the foolish ideology of peace and equality for the people. No, he believed that the system just needed to be changed and the right people needed to sit on the chairs of power. All he had to do was just manipulate the players on the board and take out the irritants as he did with the Blood Wolves many years ago.

6 YEARS AGO

It was a cold, dark, winter night. In a particular land far removed from the common navigation maps that were published at the time sat the village belonging to the Order of the Blood Wolves. Known only to other clans within the Conclave as well as select individuals of importance, the village that was home to the Capital's most ruthless and lethal fighting force of assassins was hidden away from the common eye. Using his connections, Fujitora had found out about their hideout approaching the hidden gate carefully.

The charismatic officer had no idea what was going to happen over the next few moments. He could be killed instantly or he could have an opportunity to take off business but he had no choice but to seize this opportunity. The Blood Wolves was one of the Empire's shining pillars of strength over its nearly one thousand-year-long legacy and hearing about the possibility that they may want to revolt against the Capital is a reward in itself. Out of the clans that compose the Conclave, the Blood Wolves stand at the top of the list rendering all clans to bow to their will. They would be an extremely valuable asset to some or a major nuisance to others. For his ambitions, they could prove to be troubling.

As the man walked forward, he heard a rustling in the leaves of the trees. Stopping to see whether or not someone was there or if it was the wind would prove to be a fatal mistake as suddenly everything went black in an instant. Before his vision faded away completely, he felt the presence of two people walking toward his body before he was out cold. The last thing he recalled was the faint mumbling of voices and the feeling of his body being hoisted into the air and being carried off.

When he came to, he found himself before a campfire in the middle of a large rectangular tent that was probably at least twice the size of his own back at headquarters. Shaking his head, he felt that his mask was no longer gone has his dark blonde bangs now draped over his rugged face. He had kept at least the lower half of his face masked so much that it honestly felt foreign for it to be gone when he wasn't eating or sleeping. As he tried to move, he found that his legs were bound and his arms were tied behind his back. His emerald green hues peered around the room seeing the logo of a wolf howling at a blood moon on a large banner on the back wall.

"So glad you could join us," a deep voice called out as a man of imposing stature walked through the tent dressed in a black and white shihakusho like a samurai. His sleek, black hair draped behind his back going slightly past the base of his neck. The muscular man seemed like a giant, which would explain why this tent was so large. As he sat down on a pillow in front of him, a pair of deep and dark scarlet eyes seemingly peered through Fujitora's soul. Beside him sat a beauty that seemed to be almost angelic. Dressed in a rose-colored yukata, the woman with long, white hair and primrose-colored eyes sat quietly next to the man.

"I take you are the leader of the Blood Wolves and she is your wife?" asked the ambitious officer adjusting his posture to speak to them both. Surprised by his rather casual and composed nature, the pair simply looked at one another before fixing their attention back on the man before them.

"Indeed, I am Raiden Arashi—leader of the Order of the Blood Wolves and this is my wife, Hestia. What brings you to this place? Dependent upon your answer will determine if you get to live past this night. Know that if you lie, your death will not be a painless one," spoke the intimidating leader. His wife sat quietly just observing for now.

"I am Lieutenant Commander Fujitora of the Revolutionary Army. With the given chaos of the land and your affiliation, I'm sure you have heard of us," answered Fujitora.

"Yes, we have. You represent the rebels that have begun a civil war dividing the land in two for the sake of some 'noble cause'. The Empire has made sure to identify you to any allies and assets it possesses including the Conclave. Given your affiliation, I have to applaud you for your audacity to show yourself here. As per my duty, I am either to kill you here or send you to the capital city so that you may be interrogated."

"Forgive my brashness my lord but I believe that you will not do such a thing," Fujitora put bluntly.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because the reason why I am here is that rumor has it, the Blood Wolves are sick of the tyrannical nature that has become of the Empire. In addition, it is said that this very same clan is just biding their time to take down the Prime Minister and all of his cohorts personally."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. My associates are very good at information gathering but I wonder if an officer of my position found out, how long will it be until the Prime Minister finds out?"

"Are you trying to insinuate something?" asked Raiden as he reached for his blade slowly pulling it from its sheath. Hestia wanted to say something but she did not as per her place as a woman in this setting.

"I'm only saying that if you want to take on the Capital, be my guest but you should look into making your move soon while you still have the element of surprise. In fact, as opposed to only dealing with these numbers, why not make an alliance?"

"You think that the Blood Wolves need an alliance? The entire Conclave will come to our call if need be."

"Will they? I heard that the Order of the White Tiger is nothing but a ruthless band of mercenaries that will sell their services to whoever has the most money. As for the Amethyst Lotus, aren't they the type of order that prefers to avoid conflict and protect the innocent like the knights they are? As for the Jade Dragon and the Iron Monkey, they are still engaged in their Shadow War if my sources from the underground are correct. So really, do you think that a group of assassins can take on the full might of the Imperial Army and all of her allies in order to succeed in overthrowing the crown? The Blood Wolves may be good but even that is far-fetched unless a solid 30 or more members of this order are teigu users," boasted Fujitora. Sliding the blade back into its place, Raiden could not help but believe the man's words to be true.

"You certainly have a way with words Fujitora. Alright then, so I take it that you have some sort of proposal of sorts?" questioned the intrigued leader.

"Yes, if you want to rebel against the Empire, why do you form an alliance with the Revolutionary Army? You'll have a larger information network, resources to count on, and more numbers behind you when this war reaches its climax. Think about it, you'll be able to have true independence as well," Fujitora spoke pitching his golden egg hoping that it will be enough to convince the man.

"It sounds tempting but I would need time to consult with my council and my wife. After all, I'm responsible for thousands of lives that look to me for proper guidance and leadership," replied Raiden. Hestia showed a look of disdain but she tried to obscure it as much as she could from the eyes of both parties present.

"I understand. Then how about you release me and I'll allow you to convene. If you wish, I can return personally in a week or two to hear your reply. Does this sound fair?" asked the officer. When Raiden turned to Hestia for her thoughts, she merely nodded. As a result, the tall individual walked over to Fujitora's location and cut loose his ties. He then handed the man's mask that he had on before.

"Fine then, these terms are agreeable. I shall talk with my council and seek their advance and look forward to your return," decided the clan leader. Fujitora had taken the opportunity to hide his face within the cloth once again before standing up. He would extend his hand forward to shake in order to strike an accord though Raiden didn't know that he would regret this decision until his grave. As the pair shook, the leader then snapped his fingers. Two assassins came in and kneeled before the individual.

"Please escort our guest out and ensure he leaves safely," he instructed. Nodding at their orders, Fujitora was then led out of the massive tent. Now bathing in the moonlight, the guards led the masked man toward the area where he came from. Looking over, Fujitora saw a boy that had to be at least 13 with silver hair and green eyes standing outside of the tent with an expression of displeasure. Paying no attention, the man simply moved on. Once at the gate, the guards made sure he took his exit before leaving but little did they know, they were followed by someone the entire time.

"Hey, you!" called a voice from behind as Fujitora made his way down the hill away from the Blood Wolves' village. The masked man turned to see the same silver-haired young teen running toward him with a dagger in his hand. Raising an eyebrow, he wanted to underestimate the child but he heard that all capable children within the Blood Wolves were trained to become assassins from the time they were able to become self-aware and independent from the care of their parents. This was usually around 6 to 7 years old, sometimes younger if the child was a prodigy.

"Yes? Who are you young one?" asked the man cautiously observing the movements of the boy. As the youth approached, his eyes that matched the lieutenant's glowed under the light of the moon.

"I heard you and the leader speaking. Joining your revolution is nothing but treason and a betrayal of the oath that our clan swore generations ago!" the boy shouted. So even the younglings could have dissenting thoughts? That was quite interesting. Feeling curious to see how far it went, Fujitora decided to converse with him.

"Is that right? So you don't think your clan should abandon the Empire and help save the people?" asked the charismatic adult.

"No way! Our oath as assassins is our bond for eternity. No matter how wretched or vile the Empire is, it is our duty to serve them like the generations before us! The fact that Lord Raiden is even considering this goes to show how weak this clan has become! Bad enough that insufferable son of his is chosen to become the next clan leader as opposed to me! I'm stronger in every way," ranted the boy. Jealousy and rivalry were something that could be considered typical for his age. Realizing that this could become a golden opportunity again, Fujitora decided to indulge.

"I see, you have a very strong resolve. What is your name?"

"I'm Aquilo!"

"Aquilo eh? Well, what do you think your parents will say when they hear of Lord Raiden's decision?"

"They're dead so I wouldn't know. They would probably be ashamed since they died fighting for the Empire."

"I see. Well then, if you feel so strongly about this I guess that means that the clan means nothing to you now right?"

"Yeah, I don't want to bother with a bunch of weaklings who can't stomach the fact that the weak die and the strong survive. That's just the law of the world. A predator doesn't become prey until a stronger predator comes along and this decision will make us prey."

"Indeed. What if I told you that there was a way for you to become the strongest predator of all by eliminating this obstacle right here and now?"

"You mean by killing you?"

"No, killing me won't do anything. Lord Raiden seems like the type that is resolute in his decisions. His mind is made up for betraying the Empire and the clan will only wind up following him so why not get rid of the problem all at once?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you can save the Empire you are so eager to serve if you are willing to sacrifice all that you've known."

"How?" asked the boy. Fujitora smiled insidiously as he knew that he could use this to his advantage.

"By purging this world of a pack of rabid dogs, of course, all it takes is just one brave soul with a good friend on his side."

"You mean…wiping out the Blood Wolves?"

"Are you against the idea?" frowned Fujitora.

"Not really. There's only one person I legitimately care about but persuading her will be difficult."

"If she is strong, she will understand. For now, take this seal and head to King's Gallows within the next few days. There you will meet with a friend of mine and when you do, tell them to 'put down the pack of dogs' and they will know what to do next alright? Make sure when you leave that you don't say where you're going," Fujitora instructed. Nodding in agreement with this, Aquilo took the seal and stowed his blade. He and the gentleman shook hands that would form a pact that would forever change history for the Conclave as well as affect the life of the man who would become known as the Red-Eyed Stormbringer.

PRESENT DAY

Fujitora was peering into the flames as his reminiscing period came to an end. He grabbed a glass of scotch to take the edge off his mind as those memories played back. Hard to believe it was 6 years since he indirectly caused the massacre of the Blood Wolves. Thinking back, he wondered what would have happened if he kept them around as tools of war. More than likely this war would have been over quickly but Raiden was full of idealism about as much as the other generals leading this army. In addition, Hestia would have proved to be an obstacle sooner or later because of the fact that she was as ambitious if not more so than he is. After all, Fujitora felt that he and Hestia were cut from the same cloth. The look in her eyes that night when she held that face of disdain was someone looking for a chance to seize power for herself and viewed her own husband as an issue.

"It's a pity that we aren't allies, Hestia… but oh well. I'll be sure to deliver your son's head to the doorsteps of wherever you and the Sapphire Phoenix call home. That way you know that I'm not scared of you and that you know not to fuck with me," he spat as he gulped down the amber liquid before pouring another.

Meanwhile, inside the crypts of the camp, Raizo sat inside his cell awaiting his execution. Given the hour, the youth was given the opportunity to feast upon whatever he wished to be his final meal. Raizo just picked a steak dinner of the highest quality to enjoy since he hadn't had anything that had a fine taste to it in a long while. As he was finishing his meal, he began to think in the back of his mind if this was truly the end of the road for him. His sins were many and he knew that there would be a time when he answered for all the lives he has claimed in his time on the world but he didn't think that this was going to be how he goes out.

[You really think that this is how you will meet your end? I feel rather insulted boy.]

The sound of an all too familiar voice spoke to him while his mind wallowed in his thoughts. The youth couldn't help but smile as he felt it to be ironic that a god was trying to deter him from thinking about death. After all, he was only human so shouldn't the gods be laughing at his fate for being a mere mortal?

"I was wondering when you were going to put your two cents in, Indra. You really have a funny sense of timing," Raizo spoke softly so that he would not be overheard.

[I try not to interfere in matters you should be able to handle on your own. In fact, I'm sure you would have figured this out by now.]

"True or I was just too busy trying to figure a way out of this mess to really be paying attention to you."

[You don't have any sense of appreciation.]

"Unless you can somehow pop out of my body like some demonic spirit and deflect bullets or something, I really doubt my chances of thanking you anytime soon."

[And last I checked you weren't a devil that could trigger some supernatural nonsense. Ugh, humans. Your kind can be so insufferable sometimes but I suppose that hardly applies to you anymore.]

"What are you talking about?" Raizo asked the cheeky thunder god in confusion.

[You'll see tomorrow morning. Just remember that tomorrow won't be your last, Stormbringer.]

After that, Raizo felt the presence of the voice fade back into his subconscious. The boy could only look up at the concrete ceiling and smile, finding this whole situation to be one giant obstacle. Yet again, fate wishes to try and reel its ugly head. He remembered all of the things he's faced so far from teigu users to a disillusioned harbinger of death. This would not be his end. It was just another crossroad that he was faced with in which his path forward was already becoming clear.

"Whatcha smilin' about kiddo?" asked a cheerful yet recognizable tone of voice. As the red-eyed youth turned his head to his cell doors, he saw that the woman who called herself his lover was standing there grinning from ear to ear. Immediately, the boy stood up and made his way over to the metal bars feeling joy swell up in his chest upon seeing her face.

"Leone!" he spoke with excitement. Seeing her up close, he could sense that her condition improved drastically since recent events. It was good to see that she was up and moving around considering the circumstances; however, she was not alone. Raizo's smile widened upon seeing the faces of the rest of the Night Raid crew.

"You didn't think we'd let you be alone tonight right?" Tatsumi spoke triumphantly. Suddenly, he was elbowed in the side by Chelsea.

"Stop trying to act like it was your idea to see if we could come down here. If the boss didn't use her influence to pull some strings, you would still be back inside the tent crying over the fact that Raizo…" Chelsea stopped not wanting to say the rest. Though Raizo knew what she meant, his smile didn't waver at all.

"Jeez, did you have to say I was crying? I mean, I was sad yeah but…" Tatsumi blushed, rustling his brown hair in embarrassment.

"Oh come on, you need not deny it there Tatsumi! After all, Chelsea here had to hold your hand and pat you on the back so that you wouldn't feel all alone" Leone teased.

"It's okay Tatsumi, I'm also here if you need a shoulder to cry on," Akame spoke with a determined tone with a sparkle in her eye. Tatsumi tensed up as a result.

"No, no Akame, I think I'm okay now. No need to get dramatic."

"I must say that getting us all down here was not only due to my way with words but also my feminine charm. I guess you could say I had to show off who's…the boss," Najenda posed trying to make a funny joke. Everyone then turned toward Najenda smiling wryly. Leave it to her to make a bad pun.

"Anyways…I'm just glad I get to see you guys. How long can you stay?" Raizo asked curiously.

"We were given until all of us decided to turn in though Leone requested that she be allowed to…" Najenda began to explain until Leone covered her mouth shaking her head.

"That's a surprise," she uttered. Raising an eyebrow dumbfounded, Raizo shrugged slightly before sitting down on the floor.

"Well, at least we can spend time together. I don't want you guys to be upset if you didn't get a chance to speak to me before…you know," Raizo chuckled hesitantly.

"It sucks that this has to happen," Tatsumi commented bluntly.

"Yeah, I can't believe how cold this army is being to you," Chelsea added.

"It's like it was sabotage," Akame remarked.

"That Fujitora guy just…he pisses me off. I sincerely want to sink my claws into his flesh and rip his face to shreds," Leone growled, her attitude becoming beast-like.

"Easy everyone, you all are still speaking in front of a general and the last thing I need is for all of you to be accused of treason as well," Najenda spoke in concern.

"I agree. You guys don't need to be burned like me. That whole entire trial was bullshit. I wasn't even given a fighting chance. As Akame said, it was sabotage and it felt like a set-up. Fujitora has something against me, probably due to our history or something. For him to be an officer in this army, his logic is flawed. I feel like I am a major symbol for this army now since I was the one who killed Budou so why would he have me executed? What is the point of that?" Raizo thought out loud.

"You're right. It's too…shady to be honest. I'm actually glad I didn't say what I wanted to say back then," Najenda remarked. All eyes seemed to focus on her in that instant.

"It slipped my mind until the last minute but if we had mentioned Akaro and the others…" Najenda spoke.

"You're right… I should have said something about that then but for starters… I never put it down on record due to the fact that it would be hard to explain something like multiverse theory. In addition, if something is going on behind the scenes that we don't know about, our entire information network could be compromised. Imagine if the Empire or Sapphire Phoenix group got their hands on the information of that battle."

"Then that would basically start an arms race," Chelsea surmised.

"Which would then alter the balance of power in this world; if any of our enemies started trying to research ways to scale their teigu users or any weapon to Vesta's level… this civil war would evolve into something that would forever alter the course of human history," Akame explained.

"And with people like the Sapphire Phoenix—hell even Esdeath—with that kind of power, it would be damn near impossible to prevent a war that could potentially destroy the planet. No, maybe the entire universe itself as we know it," Leone groaned in frustration.

"Raizo, please…please forgive me for not saying anything about this," Najenda begged.

"Boss, it's okay. You made the right call whether it was by accident or on purpose. I'd rather us keep those events within a tight circle rather than expand to everyone out there. It's bad enough that my mother and her own personal squad possess the level of strength that they do. If the next step in teigu evolution is that level of power that Akaro and the others have, it is up to us to reach that level too," Raizo spoke with an unshakable determination.

"You say 'us' but it's no use if you are fated to die tomorrow," Tatsumi sighed heavily.

"You really think it is gonna be that easy?" Raizo smirked deviously.

"What are you talking about?" the brown-haired youth asked suspiciously.

"Nothing for now, but I want to know something," Raizo began, "Are you all going to be permitted to carry your teigu tomorrow during my execution?"

"Yeah, more than likely we will. Why do you ask?"

"Make sure one of you has my swords and give them to Leone to carry on her back alright?"

"What are you planning, Raizo?" Akame asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing exactly, but if anyone asks about them just say that they are the last memento from my past and that I want to be buried with them as my gravestone. Trust me."

ONE HOUR LATER…

It wasn't getting too late but most of the members knew that they needed sleep. Tatsumi, Chelsea, Akame, and Najenda soon got up and said their goodbyes. They wanted to wish Raizo a happy birthday but they felt like it wasn't something that was appropriate given the circumstance but they stood before the male inside the cell trying to encourage him. Before tears began to fall, they departed into the night.

The quartet of Night Raid members soon went to their respective tents knowing that tomorrow would be a heart-wrenching day to deal with. Given the amount of things going through her mind and the guilt of not presenting that evidence to the court, Najenda walked off alone through the encampment to process her thoughts and try to earn some sort of peace of mind. She knew Raizo didn't blame her for making that call but she still felt guilty.

MEANWHILE…

"Shouldn't you be heading off to bed?" he asked his lover though he didn't mind having company. Suddenly, Leone moved to the door and unlocked it then walked inside immediately closing the cell door back. It was then that the blonde pulled a near curtain and closed off the cell to obscure anyone looking, which was one of the few amenities that Raizo had but never really bothered to use. The boy sat up in surprise trying to piece together what was going on.

"Um, what the heck? How are you allowed in here? Won't you get in trouble?" Raizo asked in a panicked voice but before he could truly flip out, Leone sat beside him on the bed leaning in and pressing her body against his seductively. The youth's face began to turn a bright shade of red as his pulse quickened.

"I got special permission to spend some quality time with you tonight since it's supposedly your last," Leone whispered softly in his ear before biting it gently and pushing him down on his bed.

"Le…Le…Leone…" the male gulped nervously worried about people potentially listening to what was going on. That concern was instantly destroyed as he saw his lover stripping before him.

"Wh…what's going on?!!" he yelped.

"Just watch babe, consider this a present for your birthday," the blonde stated. Raizo was lost in a spiral of confusion as he was soon faced with the mature beauty in her birthday suit. Her curvy and soft physique was now filling his eyes causing his own body to burn up inside. Before he had a chance to deny her, she climbed over him removing his clothes layer by layer before Raizo was left with feeling her body grinding on his.

"Leone…how…the hell?" he stuttered as his blood began to rush downward.

"Oh my, this is more honest than you'll ever be in these situations. I love it when you're like this Raizo," Leone flirted before kissing him on the mouth. It wasn't long until the woman began her task of giving Raizo an unforgettable night that just might take him to heaven before he even walked the green mile. From there all that was heard into the night was the sounds of moaning and the squeaking of bedrails.

Dawn soon came. As the courtyard soon filled with various personnel from the Revolutionary Army of all different ranks, a single post was isolated away from the crowd. It was there that Raizo was led to after his night of indulgence in order to meet with his fate. As the youth was chained to the post, he felt like he was already dead; it was not from the despair of being faced with execution, but the simple fact that he couldn't feel his body. He hardly got a chance to sleep last night considering a wild animal had him in their sights. His crimson hues were cast upon where his comrades were standing, particularly Leone—she gave him a wink.

Shuddering, he recalled all the things she did for most of the evening in the cell. As cleared his mind of that, he could see that Tatsumi listened to his command and gave Leone his twin swords which she had on her back. All was going according to his plan so far. After the guards made sure he was tied up well enough, they moved away from his location. About a range of 50 feet or so away, 7 gunmen lined up with rifles in hand. He could also see that Fujitora was making his way over toward Najenda. I see you're going to gloat you arrogant bastard.

As some person was making a speech about Raizo being executed or some bullshit—the youth wasn't paying attention—Fujitora stood beside the woman with the eye patch leaning over toward her. Raizo couldn't help but wonder just what exactly was being said.

"I am sorry that you have to lose one of your star subordinates but a man of his nature cannot be left to roam free," Fujitora apologized with hardly any sincerity behind his words. Najenda chuckled.

"Please, I doubt you legitimately care but do you honestly think you won?" she asked without even facing his direction.

"What do you mean by that? The fool is about to be executed. Of course, I won."

"I admit I really wish I would have brought up that event that happened months ago in court that way I wouldn't have to deal with your smug bullshit right now. I mean, do you really think death is going to hold this kid down?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't remember? A few months ago, powers that transcend beyond human comprehension shook the skies piercing through the heavens yet it was dismissed as a mere unexplained supernatural event."

"Ah yes, the thing that everyone refers to as God's Tear if I recall correctly but what does that have to do with Raizo?"

"You see, Raizo's family… His true family decided to pay our world a visit and together, they saved you, me, and everyone else in this sickening world thus preventing the destruction of this god-forsaken universe. If you honestly think that bullets will end this story, you need to find a new author for your bullshit."

Left speechless, Fujitora wanted to say something but the gunmen had already taken aim. All was quiet in the next moment as it felt as though time stopped. No one could have caught it but it was in this very instant that Raizo's body began to conduct electricity. As the static built up around him…it happened.

BANG!

The first volley was discharged.

BANG!

Then the second volley which no one expected.

BANG!

A third volley occurred—complete overkill but it was Fujitora's orders. Raizo's body appeared to go limp at that moment. However, before they could even get a chance to cry, a massive wave of blue electricity surged from the direction Raizo's body was located.

The post that he was tied to quickly dissolved as the pillar of light blinded everyone in the area. As chaos and disorder took place within the camp of the Revolutionary Army, a single silhouette came forth—Raizo, alive and well, cloaked in the energy that was Fury of the Storm. Fujitora stared wide-eyed in disbelief unsure of how it was possible.

"NO, YOU SHOULD BE DEAD! WHY WON'T YOU DOGS STAY DEAD?!!!" he yelled in anger. As the soldiers soon rallied together with rifles to take aim once again, Raizo simply walked forward as 21 bullets dropped on the ground. He wasn't even hurt to begin with.

"I'll admit, that pretty much tickled but it's not something I'd like to go through again," Raizo chuckled. It was then that the boy looked around with a smile slowly creeping upon his face before he would speak again.

"Alright, you sons of bitches listen up! I let you have your fun and gave you your chance to kill me but as you can see, it didn't work. The things I have faced, the people I've killed, even the monsters I've slayed… all failed. Just who the hell do you think I am? I'm glad I got a chance to see just what my trust in this army has given me. I'll finish everything once and for all. My name is Raizo Arashi, the Red-Eyed Stormbringer and quite frankly… all of you can go fuck yourselves," the youth declared boldly. He created a flashbang effect to blind everyone in the area—apparently Night Raid were the only ones smart enough to shield their eyes. It was then that he appeared before his friends.

"Take care of yourselves guys, try to stay alive. We'll meet again soon," he said to them. He stopped before Leone and grabbed the blades off her back. Nodding to the rest of them, the youth took a step back and then vanished in a second leaving everyone to be dumbfounded. As he soared through the skies, he held a burning determination in his heart.

"It's about time I confront you for the first time in six years…mother." he thought.