6•One Down, 8 Remains

In the Capital, Imperial Palace...

Imperial soldier: "Reporting, Sir. General Nakakaido and General Hemi... Have both deserted us and joined the rebel army.

Hearing this murmurs began to ran amok in the Royal Hall of the Imperial Palace. Various political figures and advisors of the Young Emperor began to discuss among themselves.

Political figure 1: "General Nakakaido was a pro at war..."

Political figure 2: "The rebel army is amassing frightening strength..."

Political figure 3: "If we don't act fast, the Capital..."

Young Emperor: "Order!"

Everyone in the room looked towards the booming voice, which came from the Young Emperor, who sat on the throne, beside him was Prime Minister Honest who was the person controlling everything from behind.

Young Emperor: "They're far down south from us... We can deal with them anytime! Let the Rebels gather. That'll make it easier to wipe them out in one go!" (Turns towards Honest with a smile) "That should do it, right Minister?"

Honest: "Heh heh heh. Very good, your majesty. You always keep calm. Rather than some far off rebel army... We have bigger problems at hand." (Munching on meat) "The Captain of the Guards is dead. My distant relative, Iokal, got killed! The Executioner was also defeated by Night Raid and seized his Teigu! They're getting away with everything! It's so unsettling! I'll put on weight...!"

Young Emperor: "What about that one tribe? The experts sniffling out their hideout?"

Honest: "I lost contact with them. I think they were wiped out back in chapter 2."

Young Emperor: (confused) "Chapter 2?"

Honest: (continues to munch on some meat) "Even a mild tempered man like me can't hold back his anger over this! Contact General Esdeath who subjugated the North... And bring her back to the Capital."

This surprised the crowd and gave out a gasp.

Political figure 1: "B-But the Capital already has Commander-in-Chief Budo!"

Young Emperor: "Esdeath, huh... She's as great a hero as Budo. It should be fine! She's a woman of ice who buried 400,000 tribe members alive!"

Honest: "Before she arrives, tell our pathetic excuse of a garrison to buck up! I don't even care if they captured them dead or alive!" (Crazed look) "We're going to hunt down that gang... And finish every last one of them!"

Young Emperor: (turns soldier giving the report) "How about the investigation of Hiro missing? Has there been any news?"

Imperial soldier: (nervously speaks up) "U-um... A-About that... Your Majesty, the former Crown Prince is nowhere to be found in the Capital for the past year, we suspect that he must've died from a danger beast..."

Hearing this shocked the Young Emperor, his only brother, the only family he had left was now missing, and the investigators suspects that he's already dead.

Young Emperor: (in denial) "You're lying! Aniki can't die! He can't...!" (Tearing up) "His the only family I only have left..." (Sobs)

Being only in 13 years old, the Young Emperor of course was clingy to his family, anyone is. Hearing that Hiro was still missing and was suspected dead he started tearing up, he had already lost his mother and father now his older brother is missing. Honest looks at the Young Emperor disappointed at seeing that he still cares about Hiro, of course since Minister Honest sees Hiro as an obstacle for his desires. Swallowing up his disappointed, he gave an order to the Imperial Soldier.

Honest: "Continue the search until you find his body if he is dead." (Turns to the young Emperor) "Don't worry, your highness, the prince will be found."

The young Emperor nodded, wiping his tears away, as the Minister shows a crazed smile.

Honest: (crazed smile) "I'm sure he will... Hehe."

While Honest was giggling to himself, the political figures whispered to themselves of what they think had happened to the Ex-Crown Prince.

Political figure 1: (whispering) "Do you think that the Minister had something to do with the former Crown Prince's disappearance?"

Political figure 2: (whispering) "That possible... Knowing the Minister anyone who gets in his way or he finds a nuisance he will definitely try to do something to remove the said nuisance."

Political figure 3: (whispering nervously) "Shush, he'll hear you! You don't want to be executed like the Internal Affair Officer, right?"

Political figure 1; "Yeah... Let's just shut up."

The other two did not object what this political figure said, since the Prime Minister did order to execute the Internal Affairs officer in the past.

Imperial Capital, Night, Red-Light district...

Hiro: "Hmm..."

Humming to himself, Hiro who had his hair down, looked down towards a brothel, in the Red-Light district of the Capital, where this area was a haven of brothels, drug-dealing and all sorts shady stuff.

Hiro: 'The other two mongrels should be finished with their mission right about now... Let's finish this bore of a mission.'

Hiro leaped towards the roof of the brothel in front of him, Hiro snuck in into the attic of the brothel, the blonde took off a panel from the ceiling as he peered below. The room was filled with the smell of drugs as many women sat on the floor. Each one of them were high, due to the drugs they were smelling, happy and content smiles was plastered on their faces. Clicking his tongue, the blonde gazed at the room with disgust as he thought he shouldn't have accepted this mission. If it wasn't for the fact that they would take away his kitchen rights and training ground the blonde would've never even stepped foot in the disgusting place. Hiro continued to look around the room, seeing two people walk in, Hiro guessed that those two were the drug dealers he was assigned to kill.

Hiro: (sighs) "Let's just get this over with... Let's see..."

Taking out a coin from one of his golden ripple, Hiro flipped the coin, he caught the coin as he covered the coin with his hand, not showing what it side it had landed on.

Hiro: "Tails I kill them like a true assassin for once and heads I enter this disgusting place and face those mongrels head on."

Finally revealing the side of the coin, the blonde opened his palm and saw the coin facing heads making him fight them head on.

Hiro: "Alright, let's get this over with."

Hiro summoned two golden ripple, pulling out both Enki swords, the blonde jumped down from the ceiling room, landing in front of the drug dealer and his henchmen. Hiro stood in front of the two pointing both Enki at them.

Hiro: "Alright, call your guards I'm feeling generous today so you disgusting mongrels can die all together."

Henchmen: "I-Intruder! Get him!"

Before the two could run away from him, Hiro stopped the two from escaping by cutting the back of their heels, effectively making them unable to escape. The two fell down, looking back, they saw Hiro walking towards them dragging both Enki to the ground.

The two shaked in fear of dying, taking out a gun, the henchmen aimed a gun towards Hiro.

Henchmen: "St-Stay back! I-I have a gun!"

Hiro: "And I have RGB lighting."

Before he could fire the gun, Hiro was already in front of the two, within a split second, the blonde swung his blade cutting the henchmen in half, leaving the boss terrified.

Drug dealer: "Please! L-Let me live! I-I'll give you anything you want! Money! Women! Power! Anything please just let me live!"

Hiro: "Sorry... I already have those things, I only need is your life." 'Well I have yet to find a woman in my life, but that should change... I hope.'

Drug dealer: "Wha-!"

Before he could react, Hiro already swung his blade downwards cutting the drug dealer in half, Hiro, slicked back his hair leaving some strands down smirking as he turned towards the guards who watched the blonde cut their boss in half.

Hiro: (smirks) "You could say he was half the man he once was."

Hiro was met with silence.

Hiro: "Huh... Tough crowd."

The guards nodded at each other as all of them ran towards Hiro, not understanding that the teen in front of them were leagues above them, the blonde took his own stance as he ran towards them himself.

[...]

After a few more minutes the blonde, exited the building like nothing happened as not even one speck of blood was on him. As Hiro walked passed a crowd of people, crowding at the entrance of the brothel he just exited, gasps and shrieks were coming from the crowd as they found the whole brothel guards, henchmen and boss's dead bodies piled up on one another.

[...]

With his mission finished, the blonde found himself walking through the dimly lit streets of the Capital. Every now and then Hiro would look around, having the feeling of dread following him for minutes now as the blonde couldn't shake the feeling of making him jumpy and on guard to anything that comes his way.

The blonde then stopped walking, beginning to look around his surrounding as he was about to turn he heard a loud bang. It echoed throughout the area, Hiro turned to the direction where he heard the noise as the blonde took off in that direction running.

Just as he took off, the blonde again heard a loud roar, Hiro took a deep breath and run towards the location faster.

Hiro: "Come on! Faster! I need to make it!"

The blonde had just made to a clearing, his blood red-eyes scanning the surrounding as his gaze landed to his two Night Raid comrade, sighing in relief at the fact that he had managed to make it in time. But it was short lived.

As the prideful blonde was about to run to them, the loud bang he had heard from before echoed in the air once more, both Mine's and Hiro's eyes widened. Pierced from her back, a hole was right below her chest. Behind her, just from the treeline was an auburn-haired girl wearing an Imperial Guards uniform, Seryu. the girl had a crazed smile on her face as her mouth was open, a gun sticking out of it.



Sheele: "My body... Won't move..."

Seryu: "Just... Execution!"

Hiro: "Mongrel...! Bab-Ilu!"

The blonde summoned his golden ripples as he fired weapons from the ripples, while the clumsy assassin of Night Raid began to fall over, her upper body being grabbed by the biological Teigu's, Koro's, mouth as she was severed from her lower body. Mine cried out, screaming her name in horror. While the swords that the blonde fired made contact with Koro, making it scream out in pain letting go of Sheele.

Hiro continued to run towards the two as voices began to increase indicating that Seryu's reinforcement had arrived. Hiro sent a terrifying glare at Seryu who saw the blonde's soul piercing blood red-eyes glaring at her making her flinch and shake in fear.

Hiro clicked his tongue and shouted at Mine who glared daggers at Seryu who was already shaking in fear from his own glare.

Hiro: "Snap out of it brat! Go back to the base! I'll take Sheele! Go!!"

Snapping out of her trance Mine looked towards Sheele who was laying against a tree, breathing heavily with a hand on Extase next to her. The pink-haired girl then saw Hiro shooting weapons at the reinforcements of Seryu as he ran towards them.

Hiro: "Mongrel! Start running!!"

Hiro shouted at Mine once more, as she stood there looking around around unsure of what to do, a bright light then causing her and their enemies to cover their eyes. Mine looked at the source to the source, it coming from the tree where she saw Sheele laying earlier. Causing everyone to halt except for Hiro who took out Enki and began cutting through the enemy reinforcement.

Sheele was holding out Extase using her last remaining sliver of life she had to activate her Teigu's trump card. As tears began to stream down Mine's face.

Sheele: (weakly) " Ex...tase..."

Mine: "Sheele!"

Sheele: "Please run while you still can... Mine."

Seryu: (shocked) "She... Can still move...!?"

Mine: "But..."

The pink-haired assassin then gasped, seeing a smile on Sheele's face. She had already accepted her fate. Mine clenched her teeth in anger, turning around clutching her injured arm. When she turned back she saw a glimpse of the arrogant blonde, going through the enemy reinforcement cutting them down as he fired weapons at them, causing them to hesitate allowing Hiro to swiftly taking care of those that stood in his or Mine's escape.

And so she left, Mine taking off in the direction of the Night Raid base while everyone was distracted by Hiro and Sheele.

The clumsy assassin of Night Raid watched as Mine went, softly smiling to herself.

Sheele: 'I'm glad that at the end... I could be of some use...'

Seryu: "Koro!"

The crazed 'justice' fanatic screamed as she saw her Teigu limping towards her with incredibly deep wounds.

Sheele looked up to the sky leaning against the tree behind her, closing her eyes as she thought back to her time with Night Raid. In her thoughts everyone was smiling at her, albeit Hiro not facing her instead faced the side with a small grin on his face.

Night Raid was where she belong, and she had fun.

Waiting for herself to finally lose consciousness and meeting darkness, she felt herself being lifted up. The clumsy assassin slowly opened her eyes, her vision was a bit hazy due to blood loss but she could make out the golden blonde haired boy who carried her. The blood red-eyed teen, was surprisingly, wasn't covered in blood, he was panting as he ran towards their base.

Sheele: (weakly) "H-Hiro...?"

Hiro: "Shut up. Save your energy, were almost at the base. Just a few more seconds..."

Sheele couldn't hear clearly but, she could make out the clear desperation in his voice.

Sheele: "Just put me down... Hiro... You know the rules between two Teigu--"

Hiro: "I said shut up! Damn it!"

Sheele: "Hiro... Stop..."

Hiro tuned out the purple-haired girl's voice, continuing his way back to the base. The blonde the felt a hand touch his cheek, making him stop in his tracks, looking at the clumsy assassin he was carrying, she as softly smiling at him. Her skin were nearly pale as the light in her eyes continued to die out.

Sheele: "We... Never truly... Got to know one another... But I want to... Thank you for... Being a... Precious... Comrade..."

Her voice trailed off as she took her last breath, with her arm going limp. The blonde gritted his teeth, checking the girl in his arms for a pulse. There was none.

The blonde bitterly continued his way towards the base. The blonde thought of Night Raid as nothing but entertainment... Yet, here he was shedding a tear for someone he didn't even get close to.

Hiro: 'Heh... God damnit... I gained unimaginable power yet...Power to be able to topple the balance... Yet...! I still couldn't protect someone who I didn't even considered a friend... Then... Then how would I be able to protect those I care for...? Can someone tell me...? Anyone...? Enkidu...?'

As two Teigu users fight with intent to kill, only one may make it out alive, as the other shall die. There cannot be two survivor. That was the Iron Clad rule of Teigu bout.

[...]



It was already dark out, the rest Night Raid members we're outside their base, everyone had a look of sadness, grief and disbelief as Mine stood in front of them, clutching her broken arm, giving her report and news about what had happened to Sheele.

Bulat was doing their best to keep his tears for himself while some, like Lubbock, let their tears out.

Tatsumi slowly walked towards Mine clenching both fist.

Tatsumi: "Where... Where's the one who did it...? Mine!"

Mine kept her silence, she only gazed down as she had a dull look in her eyes. Not getting any answer, Tatsumi began marching to the woods, only to be stopped when he saw Hiro who walked out of the woods, in his arms were the upper body of Sheele.

This caused surprise to everyone seeing the most uninteractive member carrying their fallen members body, while the gazes of others fell on the body of the clumsy assassin, the gaze of the red-eyed Akame fell to the blonde who had carried Sheele, instead of having his head held up by like usual, Hiro had his head down not allowing anyone to see his expression.

Tatsumi still being filed with rage, marched towards the silent blonde and punched him in the face, causing the blonde stagger a little but not too much to have him let go of Sheele's body. They were all shocked at what he had done.

The brown haired teen then felt pain on the side of his cheek. Monotone assassin of Night Raid had walked up to him and slapped him in the face, which caused even greater shocked to them. Before he could say anything he felt pain on the other side of his check again as Bulat had walked up to the youth and punched him in the face, causing him to be sent tumbling across the field before he looked up to both of them with disbelief in his eyes.



Bulat: "Shame on you, Tatsumi! Keep it together! We had already told you that any of us could die at any moment!! Didn't you join knowing that full well!?"

Akame: (coldly) "Has what Hiro told you flew out the other ear again...? Hiro already told you to understand the other before doing something."

The others looked surprised at what Akame had done, they expected Bulat to do it but Akame? Who was always the one who was leveled head to suddenly do such thing is not anyone expected but, they understood why she did that.

The two had the very right to be angry at the brown-haired boy, seeing as he let his emotions control him once again, who only looked down in the ground in shame.

Lubbock went up to the blonde and took Sheele's body off his arms.

Akame turned towards Hiro, who stood silent still having his head down and clenching his fist until it bled, she knew just from looking at him that the death of Sheele had greatly affected him. Yet, some part of her was still questioning why the blonde had been affected.

Najenda then faced everyone, clenching her metal fist.

Najenda: "Sheele's death... Will not be in vain. There will come more battles against those wielding Teigus. So to look at it another way... Those are more chances to collect them! This is truly the start of our life-and-death struggle. Tatsumi!"

Steeling all of their resolves. Everyone knew the risk of joining. One of these days, the bloodshed that they had spilled will be payed with their own life.

What they were doing wasn't justice. But it was for the betterment of the country.

Akame again glanced towards the blonde teen, but he had already left the field even before Najenda started her speech. The red-eyed assassin took notice of the trails of blood going back to their base, it was the blood from Hiro's fist. He clenched them to hard that it started to bled.

This was only the beginning. All of them knew that and Akame was familiar with this more than anyone. But they had to steel their resolves, after all since they'll have more adversaries in the future.

Somewhere in the south of the capital...

Standing on the edge of a cliff was a danger beast and sitting on top of it was the famed "Empire's Strongest" and behind her was three cloaked figures.

Esdeath: "I'm home. Capital."

End