Kill the Tournament

Year: 1024

The Imperial Coliseum is a storied architectural masterpiece that rose nearly 230 feet (roughly 70 meters) from the ground. Complex arches and rigid columns comprised its structure thus elevating its oval shape towards the interior of the Capital City. On the inside, hundreds of rows of seats composed of stone gave way for tens of thousands of spectators to gather. It was here where a number of events took place from martial arts tournaments, games and sporting events, and even executions to culminate its fabled history.

Scores of people were filling the seat row after row as today's fighting festival was about to get underway. The announcer just finished making the opening speech declaring the start of the Grand Imperial Games as thousands cheered in response. Down below away from the stage, Tatsumi was warming up with some light stretches and breathing exercises to get himself ready for the event ahead. Off to the side, Raizo, Lubbock, and Leone were present to give him some words of encouragement before his fighting debut.

"Remember, just relax and stay focused. Don't think about the war or anything else. Take yourself back to when you first came here; an eager kid looking to make his way in the world for the sake of his village back home. Be true to your roots and use the combat experience you've acquired thus far," Leone advised whilst patting the boy on the back.

"Yeah…that takes me back; specifically to the point where you took my entire life's savings with a smile on your face," Tatsumi responded with a subtle squint of his eyes.

"Ah, c'mon kiddo! That money was put to good use; plus hey, ya wound up joining us anyway!" the lioness smiled happily.

"Leone didn't you use that money to go on a booze run that…GUH!!" Lubbock was trying to say before the woman in question wound up elbowing him in the stomach.

"Anyway, that was then and this is now," the girl continued to grin from ear to ear.

"Right…" Tatsumi raised an eyebrow in slight suspicion.

"Just uh…try to recall everything Bulat taught you. Use that combat experience and endurance training to the fullest and put yourself to the test. Though, try not to show off too much. You may not have a wanted poster up, but whatever prowess you display could draw some unnecessary attention," Lubbock cautioned whilst rubbing his stomach.

"Got it, guess I can use this chance to control myself and know when to land a decisive blow and when to wait for a proper opening," Tatsumi nodded.

"One piece of advice I could offer is a wait-and-see approach. Let your opponent do all the moving while you remain on the defensive. Act like you are giving ground, then once your opponent either tire themselves out or becomes arrogant in their strength, seize the moment and put them down," Raizo suggested, which pleasantly surprised those around him for a moment.

"What? Did I say something strange?" the boy tilted his head.

"That was...shockingly generous of you, Raizo. Thanks," the green-eyed youth said with an approving grin.

"Tch…it's not like I don't want you to win or anything, just…try not to screw yourself over out there," the young wolf remarked whilst folding his arms and looking away.

The clamor of the audience grew as the announcer started to call the names of the first contenders.

"Sounds like the party is about to begin. Let's go grab our seats while we still can," Leone suggested. The group parted ways with their companion, but little did they know what events were about to unfold.

Swiftly, yet nonchalantly, the Night Raid trio marked their seats in the audience at a comfortable midpoint in the stands that maintained a perfect view of the stage. A few fights were already underway which was exciting the crowd as is; however, for battle-hardened veterans such as themselves, Night Raid was not so easily removed. This drew upon a point of conversation to be had within the group while everyone else was currently distracted.

"Gonna be honest with you Raizo, I never thought you would have given advice to Tatsumi for the tournament," Lubbock said whilst nudging the male on the side.

"What makes you say that?" the young wolf responded with a slightly raised brow.

"I mean, come on man…you have not exactly been too shy about how you feel about us already. It's just…surprising seeing you reach out, that's all," the green-haired male nodded in approval.

"Tch, don't read too much into it. All I did was just give some advice based on experience. Whether he chooses to make use of it is his business," the assassin retorted with an offside glance.

"Oh? Is that a little bit of a blush I see going on? Ya know, you and Mein have something in common. I've seen that in girls before, but never a boy like yourself," Leone elected to tease as well.

"Eh? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Raizo exclaimed as his flustered expression escalated.

"Heh, I like a guy who can't be honest with himself. They are so fun to bully," the girl playfully winked.

"Oh boy, Raizo…I shall pray for your safety from here on out," Lubbock relinquished a concerned sigh.

"What? Wait, since when is my life in danger?"

"Wow…how innocent can you get? You just keep getting cuter and cuter by the second!" Leone let out a playful chuckle before wrapping her arm around Raizo's neck.

"Don't worry, I don't bite…too much. Just know that I'm lookin' forward to getting to know ya more~" she winked once again before leaning over and blowing a small puff of air against the youth's neck.

"Err…this is…awkward," Raizo twitched a bit as he tried to lean away.

"Good grief, Raizo. No one has ever taught you about women? I shall teach you the language of understanding then," Lubbock said as he patted Raizo on the shoulder.

"I don't get any of this right now."

As Night Raid enjoyed their conversation in the stands, the mysterious figure that Akame and Mein were sent to investigate was silently watching in the crowd. Akaro Hajime, the Red-Eyed Hero, knew the stakes of being here given the events that occurred in town; however, his flawless act of presence concealment made him undetectable. As the fights carried on, the players in the game continued to gather as the skies sprinkled hints of an approaching storm about to make a sudden impact on the Capital.

Back in the VIP booth, Esdeath leaned her head to the side over her hand in boredom over what was on display currently.

"So much bravado, but nothing specifically eye-catching…how droll."

"I'm sorry the games aren't as exciting as you had hoped, Captain. For the sake of appearances, try to bear with it a little longer," Ran urged with his formal mannerisms.

"A bunch of eager fools wanting to make a name for themselves, just another day in the Capital it seems," sighed Aquilo. It was then that the man elected to rise from his seat to fetch some refreshment to ease the senses.

On his left, as he grabbed onto a cup to pour some of the punch provided, he took note of the blue-eyed male in the peculiar outfit nearby.

"Wave, right?" Aquilo inquired whilst recalling the male's name.

"Ah yes sir, that's right," Wave responded formally.

"No need for the formalities, you can speak freely to me as we will be working together from this point on. Tell me about yourself."

"Well sir, I'm a fisherman's son that joined the Imperial Navy at a young age. I was inspired by a man who saved my life once upon a time back in my village. He had principles that I sought to live up to, and I wanted to pursue them as best I could. Then while I was returning from a deployment, I got orders to come here."

"Yeah, you can tell by the look in your eyes that you are a man of the sea. I hope being on land is not bothering you too much."

"Haha, well as much as I love the sea, I'm not against taking it easy once I'm on land. At least I have the opportunity to explore whatever location I'm at when I'm docked."

"Fair enough, have you explored the Capital at all?" Aquilo asked curiously.

"Not quite no, it is different compared to other locations I've visited," Wave pondered for a brief moment.

"Try not to get too sucked in by what you see. Not everything is as it seems here," Aquilo advised before chugging his drink in one shot and moving away from Wave's position.

As he walked over to the table that held some of the delicacies prepared for their consumption, he bumped into the tallest man in the room under the guise of a unique mask.

"Bols, right? Tell me, you were once a member of the incineration squad, how do you feel about being here?" The Silver Fox began with a tough question right off the bat.

"Honestly? I feel fortunate. Putting down enemies of the Empire has always been my job. This unit is tasked with the job of hunting down the deadliest band of rebels to the Imperial Order which may present a challenge, but it matters not. I still have the chance to be able to return home to my family every night which is a blessing. I have a picture of them if you'd like to see," Bols said whilst reaching into his back pocket to pull out a small photo.

"A wife and daughter? No offense, but I would never have guessed that you were married. How do they feel about your position?"

"As long as they can see me every night, they support whatever it is I must do."

"I see…how noble of them," Aquilo muttered as he glanced down at his chalice and swished around the punch inside.

"Tell me, do you not wish to just retire and leave the bloodshed behind?" the Silver Fox asked.

"Perhaps. However, I will do what I must regardless as it is my sworn duty to do so. As long as my family supports me in this endeavor, then everything else becomes irrelevant."

"Fair enough, I suppose."

Passing along, Aquilo strutted alongside the table whilst examining the various plates arranged on the table. It was then that another individual popped up beside him to introduce himself.

"Yoo hoo~" the man winked with an over-the-top pose.

"Ah, the infamous Head of the Science Division, Dr. Stylish," noted the Vice General with a subtle rolling of the eyes.

"In the flesh, kind sir; I see you have heard of me. My reputation precedes me it seems," he smirked in delight.

"Yes, a few of my soldiers have elected to use your little pick-me-ups to try and make a name for themselves on the battlefield."

"Oh my gosh!" he placed his hands over his cheeks excitedly, "My doping serum has made its way to the Silver Fox division! I feel so humbled by this news."

"Yeah well...regardless of the performance of my men, some of them had to be reprimanded for disregarding my orders and going overboard. Others lost control and started attacking their fellow soldiers which resulted in death. Losing soldiers in battle is natural; however, when it is a result of carelessness…it reflects badly on leadership. So you will have to excuse me if I do not share the same enthusiasm over your medicine, dear Doctor."

"My apologies, Vice General. I just can't help myself over scientific breakthroughs and opportunities for new data to experiment with; hence my reasoning for being a part of this little club. I am eager to see what sort of test subjects this 'Night Raid' will yield," Dr. Stylish menaced with a subtle push up of his glasses.

"Duly noted," Aquilo said whilst dismissing himself from the conversation entirely.

The Silver Fox continued his brief tenure of making the rounds inside the space when he heard an audible crunching noise fill his ears. He turned his head to see a girl with black hair munching on cookies whilst ignoring everything around her. She was rather distant and kept to herself until she saw Aquilo's gaze lingering her way.

"Mine, you can't have any," she said as she clutched the bag of treats close to herself with puffy cheeks.

"Er...not a sweets person so, no harm there," the Vice General smiled wryly.

"She's a weird one...probably someone who only invests herself when the situation calls for it. I feel like I know of this girl from somewhere. Kurome…Kurome…"

"U-Um V-Vice General Aquilo, sir?" spoke up another person from the side. The silver-haired young officer turned to see the young woman known as Seryu standing there. Despite the anxious tone in her voice, she appeared to have a starry gleam in her eyes as if she was excited to say something.

"Go on Miss Seryu, what's wrong?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Well sir, it's just an honor to make your acquaintance! I have heard so much about you and the justice you inflicted on that traitorous clan. You cleansed the Empire of a potential threat before it was able to take root. I just wanted to say that I am truly excited to be on this team with you; I hope that I can learn something from you so that I too can become a beacon of justice for the Capital!" she spewed out without much breath between her words.

"Aha...well with that level of enthusiasm, I'm sure you will do just fine. Make sure to keep your head on straight and never make a move based on impulse alone," advised the trained officer with a curt nod.

"Yes sir!"

With a small smile, Aquilo went to take his seat again. Just as he was about to do so, Ran approached him with a subtle smile.

"Getting to know everyone I presume?" the formal adjutant inquired.

"You are quite perceptive," Aquilo complimented.

"Indeed, I do not fault you for doing so. This squad is composed of a colorful pallet of personalities. Going from command of a garrison to a member of a special ops group is a different dynamic."

"Perhaps, but I trust General Esdeath; she is my mentor after all. However, before involving myself with people I am not aware of, I need to gauge them."

"And? What are your thoughts?"

"As you said, we have an assortment of personalities. However, I can feel their potential. I need to see everyone in action before I can render a proper judgment; this includes you as well."

"Oh dear, am I not a trustworthy individual?"

"It isn't that Ran, I can tell you are well-informed; a scholar, if I had to project. However, a man of your pedigree always has an angle. Your ambitions are what concern me. I am not saying that I do not trust you, but I will be keeping an eye on you."

Just as the Silver Fox had finished making his rounds of formal interaction with the collective of the group, a masked soldier entered the room carrying a sense of strong anxiety in his chest.

"Pardon the intrusion, but I have an urgent message for Vice General Aquilo," he declared, which caught the eyes of the other Jaegers and General Esdeath herself.

"Report," Aquilo commanded.

"Sir, this may be considered a private concern."

"The men and women in this room are all members of an elite squadron that have been selected under the watchful eye of General Esdeath. So long as the affairs concern Imperial matters, any military report can be discussed freely here. Now, what is the message, soldier?"

"As you wish, sir. One of our intelligence agents has just brought back news from the battlefront where the remainder of your division was finishing up the subjugation mission. It would appear that every single member of the unit was killed without prejudice in a one-sided massacre."

"Say what?!" Aquilo tensed up whilst gritting his teeth and clenching his fists tightly.

"Here is the file containing the photographic evidence of the scene. The carnage almost makes it seem like a pack of Danger Beasts struck; however, the combination of strange markings, poison, ice, and other supernatural phenomena…" the soldier went on; however, Aquilo merely grabbed the evidence from the man's hand and reviewed it personally.

"No ordinary group could have done this. Judging by what I am seeing here…they had to be Teigu users; which can only mean that Night Raid was responsible."

"This may be the only way I can finally track Raizo and put an end to this long-standing feud once and for all."

Aquilo clutched the evidence tightly with a burning sense of rage brimming in his eyes.

"General Esdeath, if it was not apparent before, I shall make it so now. I formally request to become part of the Jaegers in order to subjugate and execute the rebellious terrorists called Night Raid…"

"Granted," the Ice Queen said as she turned her attention back to the games.

"Soldier, tell my division that they are to double their guard when they report back on duty. Furthermore, increase patrols inside and outside the walls in case of an attack."

The soldier acknowledged the orders before being dismissed. It was then that Aquilo finally went to take a seat to focus on the games. Sensing his aura of hostility, the other Jaegers did not make an effort to say anything and merely focused on the events unfolding in the ring.

"For our next match, we have a classic matchup of the underdog vs. the favorite to win it all! In this corner, we have Tatsumi, the Blacksmith! And in this corner, we have Karubi, the Butcher!" the announcer proclaimed.

Just as the bout was set to begin, the skies darkened from heavy black clouds. Rumbles of thunder escalated in volume as the winds picked up thus indicating the advent of an unexpected storm. However, the games would still go on unless otherwise advised by the sponsors of the grand event. Just as the weather event abruptly rolled over the scene, something changed within the young blood wolf in the stands.

"Tch…dammit…not now," Raizo gritted his teeth whilst clutching his chest. This drew the attention of Leone and Lubbock who glanced over out of concern.

"Yo Raizo, you good man? I told you to go to the bathroom before Tatsumi's match started," Lubbock casually prodded with humor to make light of the situation.

"I don't think this is something of a laughing matter, Lubb," Leone raised an eyebrow of concern.

"Raizo, you look like you are in serious pain. What's going on? Is there anything we can do to help right now?" the woman reached out with a gentle palm placed on the back of the youth.

"Shit…the fucking weather…" Raizo gritted his teeth in quiet agony over the current situation. In that next instant, his mind flashed back to a particular moment in time.

It was just a few months or more ago around the time Raizo and Yuki first established a contract with the Revolutionary Army. The two surviving members of the Blood Wolves were tasked with a simple dispatch mission of a small garrison of troops that made several patrols along a critical supply route for the rebel encampment.

It was a silent night filled with suspense and anxiety as the enemy troops had just finished mopping up another supply unit and were making camp for the night. Their bellies were full from a hefty feast celebrating their vicious massacres and their minds were tainted from the influence of alcohol. Hardly any of them were wise enough to catch the uneasy shift in the winds.

"Looks like there may be around 20 to 30 guys down there. Some of them are completely intoxicated, slumped over by the campfires, or just passed out by their tents. A few sentries are walking around with standard rifles on patrol, but these guys are not too keen on who might be monitoring them. How do you want to play this, Raizo?" asked Yuki whilst knocking an arrow on her bow.

Yet, the boy in question did not immediately respond. Instead, he was caught in a daze for a moment as he felt something churning inside of his chest. He heard the echoes of thunder off in the distance, but it was almost as if that turbulent noise was something else entirely. Like a deafening battle drum indicative of a large enemy assault, he felt something close to fear creep up inside of his heart; no, it wasn't fear…it was a strange taste of animosity.

The sounds of thunder in the distance whispered in his ears like a voice as if something was calling him. His vision clouded over for a second as he felt an overwhelming desire to kill; not just the enemies he swore vengeance upon…but something else, something bigger that was beyond his understanding. Flashes of light assailed him in his mind as a mental image of a giant serpent raced through his thoughts. Then, the rage of the thunder god within him stirred up to a point where it felt like it was boiling out of him.

"Indra…" a mysterious entity called out, unknown in origin.

"Raizo, are you even listening to me?" Yuki called out which brought the boy back to his senses.

"Huh, what?" the assassin blinked in confusion before rubbing his eyes.

"I was asking you how you wanted to go about our attack. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…my mind was just occupied with something else; but I'm good."

"Right, best to focus on the here and now. Anyway, how do you want to play this?"

"Swift and mercilessly, you handle the moving targets from afar, and I'll take out the sleeping beauties from up close. My guess is, the head officer of the group may be the one to put up an actual challenge."

"Right. Well, we better make this quick. The weather is about to take a turn for the worst."

"Yeah…trust me, I can feel that implicitly," Raizo nodded whilst murmuring the last bit of his words whilst attempting to avoid unnecessary attention. He reached down and grabbed a hold of his twin scythes.

"Let's get this over with."

"Right, go on, I'll cover you."

From there, the assassins took up their arms and made their move.'

Yuki stuck to the cliffside overlooking the area for the best vantage point whilst Raizo rushed down below using the cover of night to infiltrate the encampment. No matter how highly trained the group of soldiers was, their lack of discipline in the field and the decision to engage in drunken revelry would lead to their untimely demise. As the first, lone guard was caught unaware, Raizo leaped onto his back and swiftly separated his head from his body without a moment's delay. Another guard was just about to turn around the corner when he was executed by a singular arrow piercing his skull. Two targets were eliminated in the span of a few seconds, a simple extermination mission if nothing else. The soldiers had effectively sealed their fate by their own design. However, not everything can always go according to plan.

A few more bodies were dropped to the dirt as the loud laughter and drunken karaoke continuously spiraled in the air. But with the roll of the dice, everything can change in the blink of an eye. Thunder blanketed out their joyous cheers as the rain began to fall. Cracks of lightning soon followed thus illuminating the night sky as well as the areas surrounding the encampment. The sudden storm brought the celebration to an end preemptively thus sobering the minds of the soldiers intoxicated by their willful bliss. Just as the momentum of their imminent slaughter built, one soldier noticed the headless body of his comrades.

"We're under attack! To arms!" he cried out.

Coupled with being startled by the storm, the outcry led the hardened veterans to ready themselves for battle. As for the assailant, he stumbled in the shadows for a split second as an indescribable pain rose within his chest and a mind-numbing sensation of anger blanketed his thoughts.

"Tch…dammit, what's happening…to me?!" he gritted his teeth in agony. As he seemingly pawed at his chest, the boy lost control of his footing and stumbled around until he dropped to his knees in an open area between some of the tents. As a result of this blunder, two sentries discovered his presence.

"Enemy spotted! We're under attack!" one of the duo showed up.

"Surrender you son of a bi-..." the other was about to say whilst pointing his rifle, but an arrow was soon lodged in his skull.

"Fuck, the mission is a bust. Come on Raizo, get the hell outta there," Yuki murmured from afar as she witnessed her fellow-clansman make a careless mistake.

"Something's not right here…"

Her concern came as she watched Raizo's condition change for the worst in comparison with the ongoing weather situation. Just as she was about to make her way down for a quick extraction, she noted how the boy soon found himself surrounded. Reaching for her quiver, the girl was about to take her shot when she saw something beyond belief taking place.

The thunder continuously echoed in the atmosphere as the rain poured heavily upon the encampment. Raizo's mind was assailed by unknown phantoms of emotions that eclipsed his mental state. The growing severe weather seemed to draw something from within him, something that was almost primal in origin. Just then, he could recognize the audible harmony of what had been hundreds of footsteps splashing through the mud mixed with the sounds of rifles loaded to fire upon his location.

"You're surrounded, you treacherous son of a bitch. You must think you're clever coming into our camp and killing our comrades. Well, congrats on wandering into an early grave. Any last words?" one of the soldiers that held the rank of sergeant threatened.

"Tch…I swear…I…will…" Raizo muttered as sparks of dark blue electricity boiled off his body.

"What? Huh? Gonna apologize? Too late for that ya little shit.."

"I will…kill…you. I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

A massive impulse of electricity exploded from Raizo consuming the garrison in its wake. The boy's eyes glimmered with a sinister shade of crimson as the power within consumed his body. In that instant, the electrical detonation shocked every single one of the soldiers surrounding the boy as their metal guns served as conductors for the interference. The sheer amount of voltage cooked the guns into the skins of the men holding their weapons which only amplified their agony over a hundredfold. As the impulse dissipated, all that remained was a bloodlusted teenage assassin armed with two scythes imbued with lightning. From there, the slaughter began.

Limbs, blood, and guts flew about in the air as the ground was saturated in pools of crimson. The stench of death culminated together with the stink of mud and charred flesh in a harmonious odor of pure carnage. Yuki watched from afar as her companion danced with rage in his steps, unceremoniously decimating the men with a sick twist of delight on his face. She unwittingly dropped her bow and arrows to the ground and found herself helpless before this boy's mayhem. After the longest five minutes of a lifetime passed, Raizo left the encampment painted in death. The tents collapsed as lightning struck the sheets thus igniting the grounds around him.

Fast as the lightning flashed, the boy disappeared from the grounds before reappearing over Yuki's location. The girl collapsed to her knees as she fearfully stared up at him still embraced by bloodlust and madness. As he was about to cast a harrowing gaze down upon her vessel, the storm died down. This allowed the boy's sudden rage to subside. Afterward, he collapsed to his knees and lost consciousness; Yuki caught him in her trembling arms.

"What…the hell…have you become, Raizo?" she stammered over her words in disbelief. The girl watched as the encampment burned down in the short distance while she was trying to recover from being paralyzed with fear.

The same phenomenon that happened those months ago was about to take place again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what an upset! The winner of this bout is Tatsumi the blacksmith! But wait! What is this? General Esdeath is making her way down to the ring! And she has a group of mysterious individuals walking behind her! Was there something she noticed about this match that we have not? Or perhaps the contender's display was simply awe-inspiring to watch? Oh, how we wait with bated breath!" the announcer declared whilst narrating the bizarre spectacle.

Tatsumi turned his head to catch the sight of the imposing general walking towards him. She held a nonchalant expression on her face as she advanced in his direction which made the boy feel all the more uneasy.

"Esdeath decides to come for me personally? And who are these people walking behind her? I don't understand, I didn't do anything to give myself away or anything like that. Even though she isn't emitting a hostile aura right now, I can feel something almost otherworldly coming from her. Whatever, I'll just play it cool and see what happens next," he rambled on in the confines of his mind.

"That was quite the impressive showing. For someone so young, you exude great potential," she complimented earnestly which surprised the young assassin. To that end, Tatsumi's eyes slightly widened as he bowed his head.

"Thank you General, your words mean a lot to…eh?"

As the boy offered his thanks, he heard an audible clicking noise around his neck. Upon looking down, he took note of a thick, black leather collar with a chain linked to it like a leash.

"From this day on, you shall belong to me," she uttered with a pleasant smile on her face whilst patting the youth on his shoulder.

"Wait…what? I…I don't understand what is going on here."

"From the moment you smiled, I knew you were the one. Such a pure smile filled with determination and innocence lit something in me."

"EHHH??!!!!"

"Well, it looks like the Captain has found her match," Ran analyzed with an amused expression on his face.

"Ah, to be young and in love, I too remember such a time in my youth; that's how I wound up with my wife you see," Bols fawned as his heart was warmed by memories.

"She must have sensed his burning desire for justice in that smile of his!" Seryu smiled in approval.

"So…I guess we have yet another recruit for the team then?" Wave pondered with a raised eyebrow.

"It's complicated dude, try not to think about it too hard," Kurome placed a singular hand on the sailor's shoulder as he seemed to be puzzled by the current developing events.

"Hmm…interesting indeed," Dr. Stylish observed from afar unsure of how to make light of the development occurring before his eyes.

"Well…I guess even the Ice Queen has something that can melt her heart. Congratulations are in order, I suppose," Aquilo shrugged without reading further into the development at play.

"Oho, what is this? Looks like our latest winner seems to have had the tables turned on him! Despite capturing a monumental victory, he winds up captured in turn by the general. What an exciting turn of events folks!"

Esdeath gave a glance towards the flamboyant master of games and motioned for him to head towards her. Relinquishing an audible gulp of his nerves, the man walked over toward the officer's position. Once within range, she snatched the microphone out of his hands and began to address the crowd.

"Citizens of the Empire, thank you for gathering today to witness these games. I am sure that the spectacles you have witnessed have provided a fascinating show for your bored minds. But before you all are dismissed after this fighting festival and in light of this sudden weather event, I would like to formally announce my newest elite squadron that will handle the fight against the rebel scum that threatens our democracy! I give you, The Jaegers!"

As the crowd cheered on in response, it was as if the weather reacted in kind by unleashing a loud clap of thunder that echoed in perfect harmony with the cries of the audience. At this point, the clouds broke as it began to rain. Everyone continued their cheers except for a select group in the audience.

"A lot is going on way too fast. We need to get out of here and report everything that just happened," Lubbock suggested.

"I agree. We have an entirely new group of enemies to deal with. Gonna have to trust Tatsumi to handle himself on this one. Come on Rai-..." Leone was about to say when she noticed that the young blood wolf in question was on the brink of losing himself.

"He's here…of all times…he's…here!" the boy gritted his teeth as he slowly began to lose control over his actions.

"Raizo…you have to calm down. This isn't a fight you can win here…" Leone warned.

"I…can't…"

"Yo Rai…my dude, you're gonna have to control yourself here man; we can't afford to…"

"What did…I just say?!"

"Rai…"

"Get away from me!" he rejected as they went to place their hands on him. Sparks of electricity emanated from his body.

"Dammit…what the hell?" Leone raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Wait…Raizo…your Teigu…and…this storm…" Lubbock started to piece things together.

["And so falls…the Calamity…"]

The voice of the deity within Raizo's Teigu called from the void of his mind. The Lord of Thunder knew what was going to take place. It was an unfortunate curse to an extraordinary gift.

["I am sorry boy, but my past is something you cannot hide from in these conditions."]

Raizo could no longer hear Lubbock's or Leone's voices, nor was he able to hear the raging cheers of the crowd. An eerie silence washed over him as his gaze became fixated on the visages of Esdeath, and the man whom he swore his vengeance upon - Aquilo. Amidst the current weather events in conjunction with his overwhelming sense of hatred, the concept of control was not an afterthought as it exploded in rage.

The disguise of the boy melted away as a monstrous sight was unveiled. His eyes radiated a demonic red as his sclera was dyed black; boiling arcs of dark blue, nigh sapphire bolts of electricity emanated around his body as he generated a shockwave that was almost as if a chasm of thunder struck the middle of the stands. The outrageous and supernatural phenomena sent the crowd into a wild panic as they scattered from his vicinity thus drawing the eyes of the Jaegers immediately. Lubbock and Leone were trying their best to help keep the crowd calm as they were torn between retreating and trying to bring their comrade to their senses.

"Damn this is bad," Leone gritted her teeth in frustration sensing their new foes on guard knowing that their cover was fully blown now.

"Just get away from the crazy lightning box everyone. Hey man, that means you too!" Lubbock directed the crowd whilst notably shouting at one particular individual who was unfazed by the current events.

"Son of a bitch…it really is him of all people," Aquilo gasped in slight disbelief as he took note of Raizo's presence. The Silver Fox was assailed with a short flashback taking him to when the public execution took place with Raizo crashing the party a few years ago; now it was like history was trying to repeat itself.

"How dull, Night Raid makes themselves known to us before we're able to go on a proper hunt," Esdeath sighed with disappointment over the sudden turn of events.

Raizo leaped from the stands towards the floor of the tournament stage like a heat-seeking missile dead set on hitting its target. Upon impact, the brute force of the electrical shockwave sent two members of the Jaegers, Bols and Dr. Stylish, soaring towards the opposite side of the coliseum and into the stands. In addition, the momentum was so strong that even Tatsumi was blown away regardless of being tethered by a leash that was initially in Esdeath's grasp.

"Grand Chariot!" cried out Wave as he pulled a black blade-like key from over his shoulder and stabbed it into the ground. A giant blue circle appeared from under his feet as a ghastly ember of black and blue mixed around him. The silhouette of a suit of armor appeared behind him and seemingly embraced him in a hug as his entire body was shrouded in sleek, black armor that molded a muscular exoskeleton on him. Two bands of blue were etched onto the shoulder pauldrons as a translucent, glass-like cape circled his back like a halo. A glass visor appeared over his helmet as his eyes shimmered blue.

"Come on Coro, time to hand down a proper serving of justice!" Seryu cried out as she stuck out her right, mechanical arm. A dog-like creature barked in response to her command before growing ten times its regular size. It opened its jaws revealing rows of sawtooth-like fangs before biting down on its owner's limb. At that moment, the girl pulled her arm away to reveal a massive weapon to be used for combat.

"Judgment of the Ten Kings, Number 5: Enma's Spear of Justice!"

The mechanical arm was replaced by a gigantic, spinning, metallic drill that was about four times the size and weight of the girl in question. At once, the armored male and the enhanced female rushed forward to attack their new target.

Grand Chariot allowed for Wave's speed to be increased exponentially. It also enhanced physical abilities, even more so than the fabled armor of its predecessor, Incursio. Demonstrating this, Wave rushed at Raizo without any delay drawing back his fist to deliver a devastating punch. As the youth narrowly dodged the blow, the sheer force behind the strike was enough to leave a cut on Raizo's cheek which caused him to bleed immediately.

Wave persisted with a series of jabs that had the assailant on the defensive as he tried to evade the strikes. As the two were locked in a brawl between one another, Seryu lined up her trajectory with her large drill before kicking off the ground to lunge at the unknown enemy. The spiraled joint was rotating profusely as it pierced through the air toward its intended target. Hearing the mechanism approach, Wave kicked away from Raizo thus leaving the rage-induced male to deal with the hurling tool.

Seryu seemingly threw the appendage as the item went for its target like a heat-seeking missile. As it approached, Raizo was left little to no time to properly devise a method of evasion without him being boxed in by another potential foe. Therefore, he drew his sickles and crossed them together. The instruments of reaping were inadvertently empowered by the sapphire bolts of lightning around his body which enhanced the quality of their steel edges.

Steel grinded against steel as a harmonious screeching noise polluted the air, sparks flying in a myriad of directions as a result. Raizo was sliding back on the tournament stage, but he was visibly holding his own against the force of the object.

"DIE IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE!" Seryu screamed out as she charged in and proceeded to put pressure on the boy by repeatedly kicking the spear from behind to apply a greater exertion of force against him.

"Tch…" Raizo gritted his teeth before he emanated a bellowing growl of anger.

"Haaaa…..Your justice…ain't worth a damn thing…in the face…of…my VENGEANCE!" he exclaimed as he forced away the drill by cleaving through the air in an X-shape motion.

At once, the metallic appendage split in half as the wind from the counterattack redirected and blew Seryu back. The girl soared through the air unable to control her body's momentum as she went spinning off the stage and onto the dirt below.

"Dammit…I…have to get up but…Coro still hasn't…fully recovered since the…last time…" she stammered over bated breaths before falling out.

"Grand Fall!" Wave dropped down on Raizo's position in the following instant to ensure the youth would not gain too much ground.

Raizo kicked away just in time as Wave dove down on his location thus splitting the ring almost instantly upon impact. Face to face again, Raizo and Wave were caught in another slugfest. The difference was that with each punch that the armored warrior threw, Raizo immediately countered with a swing of one of his sickles. Their chosen steel clanged against one another as the echoes pounded through the sky like rapid claps of thunder mixed with the rattling nature of applause. The notorious blood wolf managed to create a few scratches against the black armor; whilst Wave was able to get a few shots to connect to draw blood and seemingly crack a few bones in Raizo's body. Just as the sailor thought he was getting the upper hand, a break in their clash presented a startling fact.

"What the…Hell?" Wave's eyes widened underneath the veil of his helmet as he saw steam rising from Raizo's body. The scars and abrasions that were etched into the boy's body and the surface of the skin were healing almost instantly. All of the damage that he had suffered so far was rendered nonexistent in the blink of an eye.

"HAAAAAA!" Raizo roared in response as he threw both of his sickles at Wave's body. Just as the warrior went to jump out of the way, the hooked weapons wrapped themselves behind the male's knees.

"Shit…he got me?" Wave gasped in shock.

Raizo jerked the chains connected to the sickles down thereby slamming Wave into the stone surface of the damaged arena stage. Then he channeled arcs of electricity into the weapons and shocked the user of Grand Chariot via conduction. Raizo persisted to hoist the male up in the air and slam him back down into the surface of the ground once more. Then he jerked on the chains to bring Wave towards him. In a blinding twist of motion, Raizo dropkicked Wave out of the ring and into a stone wall protecting the lower ring which sent cracks up the stoney surface of the foundation.

Then a figure like an angel appeared over the space. The eloquent, soft-spoken gentlemen of the Jaegers - Ran - levitated over the space with angel wings spread out from behind his back as he cast a subtle glare down towards Raizo's location. With a small disheartened sigh, he was readying an attack to fend off the berserk boy.

"Come Mastema, discharge your divine might," he expressed poetically. It was then that a barrage of feathers was released from the wings of the false angel and descended upon Raizo's location like a sudden hailstorm.

As several needle-like projectiles assailed the thundering child's location, Raizo instinctively twirled his scythes to deflect as many as he could. A few broke his guard and sliced away at his skin while a select number punctured his limbs; however, the overwhelming rage in his body all but nullified his ability to sense pain. After a few seconds of the metallic shower, the young wolf's eyebrows knitted together in further irritation.

Raizo merely inhaled a deep breath and bent his body back as electricity crackled around his arms. Then in a swift, shoving motion, he ejected a web of lightning from his hands directly at Ran before the man had a chance to make another move. Engulfed in a flurry of lightning bolts, Ran's vessel seized in the air and plummeted back to earth thus landing on the stage whilst twitching in shock from the barrage of thunder.

There were only three members of the Jaegers left, Raizo's primary focus was dialed in on Aquilo above everyone else. The other assailants he encountered so far were just obstacles in his way. To his rage-induced mind, this was the moment. Nothing else mattered. Not the people of the Capital, not Night Raid, not even the war plaguing the land itself; everything he desired was just a few feet in front of him. As he proceeded once more, his advance would be cut off once again. This time, it was a black-haired schoolgirl carrying a samurai sword in hand that served as the next obstruction.

Her visage reflected in his eyes for an instant. The resemblance between her and another face blended for a moment. Though he lacked the logical reasoning to process it fully, Raizo felt instinctively that this girl bore a striking similarity to Akame; their demeanor and energy were almost the same. Yet, the youth was unable to stop himself long enough to question it.

"I don't know who you are…but I gotta say, you just made everything a lot more interesting today. I'm tired of being bored, so why don't you hang out with me instead?" she chuckled with a sly grin as she went to draw her sword.

Without further delay, Raizo rushed in and closed the distance in the blink of an eye; his scythes ran sharply with pure killing intent. He seized the opportunity to strike before the girl was able to properly ground herself and take a battle stance. In response, the girl merely popped her blade about halfway from its sheath as she perfectly guarded against the opening strike.

"Oh? You got some spunk going on. Try to make this a little interesting for me, okay?" she smirked insidiously before pushing the youth away with just brute strength.

Raizo flipped backward in the air and then quickly pressed for another assault, his sickles drawn with killing intent. He performed a myriad of quick slashing combos at the girl's position in which she effortlessly sidestepped and evaded without so much as a care in the world. It was as if she was dancing around the stage purposely goading him into attacking her to wear down his stamina.

"You're more of a brawler than anything. Your moves have no finesse, no technique…just all show. What a pity, there's so much potential there too," Kurome mocked with a subtle sigh.

Raizo gritted his teeth in frustration knowing that he would not be able to reach his target without overcoming this girl first. In the back of his mind, what little bit of rationality he had left allowed him to see the visage of Akame once again. Her chastising demeanor was reminiscent of his first encounter with the Red-Eyed Killer; the similarity between these two only grew more and more prevalent. Regardless, the boy was unable to truly care about those details at the moment.

As the youth went in for another round of attacks, Kurome began her counter by fully drawing out her katana. She read his motions with relative ease as she began to poke holes in his offense by jabbing her blade through the air like she was a composer for an orchestra. She waved her blade around and then surgically struck at his openings to draw blood, yet careful enough not to outright stab him and cause mortal injury.

"Tch," he grunted in pain from the counterattack brought by the woman in question, yet the broken skin healed not too long after the wounds were inflicted.

"Come on, I said make this entertaining for me dammit," Kurome taunted with a flick of the wrist and a flip of her hair.

"OUTTA MY WAY!" Raizo screamed out as he fell into the trap thus charging at her once again.

Every blow that he dished out towards her was met with a perfect parry as the harmonious ringing of steel against steel echoed louder than the pounding torrents of rain upon the arena. As the fight continued, Kurome started pulling off the kid gloves as she batted away Raizo's attacks ruthlessly. The overpowering display caused the rage-induced assassin to stumble back and lose his footing. As she advanced, she hacked away at his body causing his blood to splatter all over the stone surface of the tournament stage. Clumsily, he went to raise his hand to attack before she dealt a crushing blow to his gut with the pommel of her sword. Then she followed through with a singular, horizontal strike that split his stomach open whilst spraying a fountain of his blood in the air.

"Pity, looks like you're gonna die here today Lightning-san~" she smiled; however, that grin faded away as she noticed that his wounds closed up almost instantly.

"Oh come now, what the hell is this?" she let out a discontent groan of annoyance over the strange phenomena before her eyes.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but there's just no point in beating a dog when he's down. No matter how much that body heals, the result will be the same. I'm just in a different world than you."

Taking away the restraint, Kurome lunged forward and ran her blade through Raizo's stomach.

"Guh…"

"See? If you were a good doggy, you would've just played dead hahaha. Maybe I'll turn you into a plaything with my Teigu, Yatsufusa!"

She withdrew the weapon from his abdomen and proceeded to hack at his body over and over again thus opening up a variety of wounds all over his chest. Then she stabbed the katana through his left leg, then his right arm, and finally through his left shoulder.

"Come on, just die already. You might as well face the fact that you are outmatched…"

Even with all the taunting and bravado piled on by the girl, Raizo's wounds continued to heal which enabled him to get up to face the overwhelming girl again and again.

"Guess I'll have to make sure this one goes through the…guh??!" Kurome gasped as she found herself clutching at her chest for a moment. Just then, her vision grew hazy as she stumbled around on her feet for a second.

"Shit…don't wear off…now…" she gritted her teeth as pain wafted over her mind.

"You're…wide open!" Raizo seized the opportunity and pushed his hands forward to send a wave of lightning across the wet surface of the stage toward Kurome's position.

"Tch…I'm not that foolish to…fall for that one!" she mustered her strength to quickly take a dive off the stage to evade the attack and make for the exit out of the arena. The tactical retreat was one that she had no choice but to take due to her body's current condition. Still, Raizo did not care for those details as he was able to keep going with his bloodlust.

"Who's next?" the demonic-sounding youth declared as he took a look to see Esdeath standing by with her intrigued and amused expression on her face. Just as the boy elected to go after her, another person jumped in the way with a spear in hand.

"Not so fast, Raizo…you came to settle the score, right?" proposed the Silver Fox.

"Aquilo…" Raizo muttered with a bellowing tone of rage.

The long-haired male in the garb of an imperial officer wielded a spear-like weapon whose entire six-foot length was dyed in a golden hue. The four-inch ball-like pommel at the bottom and the eight-inch blade at the top matched in tone of dark gunmetal gray dyed with an amethyst finish. The imposing blade emanated a subtle aura indicating it to be a supernatural weapon.

"How long has it been since we have faced one another, Raizo? It feels like it's been decades; though only a few short years have passed between us. Guessing you were the one who partook of that weird extract that was hidden in the armory of the village making you a Teigu user as well, eh? As for me, I got blessed with this beauty. Fortunately, this one turned out to be a spear; after all, we both know that was my weapon of choice back in the old days," Aquilo casually rambled on.

"I didn't come all this way to talk. There is a debt for you to pay, and I'm here to collect," Raizo remarked whilst aiming one of his scythes at the Vice General.

"Well as a sworn officer of the Imperial Army, it is my duty to execute wanted criminals as is. I can see that reasoning with you isn't exactly in the book of cards. Come, allow me to get you acquainted with my Gungnir," the adept Silver Fox said whilst kicking the weapon up in his hand, twirling it around, then taking a readied battle stance.

As the rain continued to pour down overhead, the crowd of spectators nearly cleared out. The Jaegers were down for the most part which left only Esdeath to be the one to witness the battle between former Blood Wolves unfold.

Raizo and Aquilo kicked off the ground toward one another. In a blend of a calamitous echo with the roaring of thunder above, their weapons collide against one another. The berserk wolf swung his scythes in a rhythmic, yet unpredictable pattern of movements at his foe; his blades were like fangs threatening to tear its prey asunder. The Silver Fox was quickly put on the defensive as he used both hands with his spear to parry the wild onslaught, whilst thrusting his weapon forward to keep his opponent at a manageable distance.

Raizo infused electricity in his weapons to press his attack further as he proceeded to seemingly claw his way through the air to get close to Aquilo. He twisted his body and flipped over in a full 360-degree rotational motion to bring his sickles down upon the spearman. That rotation evolved into a 720-degree motion as he performed the maneuver again.

Aquilo slid back across the stage to evade both strikes and twirled his spear around to create a defensive barrier of motion that protected himself during his strategic retreat. Raizo pursued him by seemingly skating across the ground with lightning engulfing his feet as he swiftly closed the distance between them. It was then that a whirlwind of strikes appearing like a combination of flaming sparks and static discharge of electricity engrossed their position as they crossed steel with one another again.

"So this is all you have? Pity, you should train more," Aquilo sighed as he suddenly changed up his tactics during the fight.

In a sudden burst, Aquilo spun his spear around and pushed a strong thrust forward that slipped past Raizo's guard and impacted the rampaging youth directly in his abdomen. The devastating strike destabilized Raizo's movement for a split second as he stumbled backward. Still embroidered by his rage, it was not long until Raizo proceeded to attack once again.

Aquilo welcomed this by spinning his spear around his body in a wild pattern that seemingly cut through the rain and manipulated the trajectory of the water falling through the sky. For the Silver Fox, it was like he was moving faster than his surroundings as time seemingly slowed around him. His breathing was steady, his mind completely focused. The hellish training he endured with Esdeath by spending days sparring against her one-on-one drilled a fighting method into his body that made him almost comparable to renowned Ice Queen and Great General Budou. In fact, she even noted that he would become strong enough to surpass both of the mighty officers one day based on his raw potential.

The Vice General displayed how much of a gap was between him and his former blood wolf and put an end to this nonsensical goal of vengeance. As he continued to spiral Gungnir around his body, it emanated a mist of green smoke around his body from the momentum. Raizo needlessly pressed his charge without thinking of the consequences as he tried desperately to break through the threshold before him.

"I can do this with one blow...just one single strike is all I need!"

However, that chance would not arrive. In a swift motion of denial, Aquilo merely chucked his spear forward with the momentum it gained. It sent the youth flying back across the stage to which the boy merely dug his scythes into the ground to prevent himself from losing more ground. He redirected the force of the impact and launched himself toward Aquilo like a projectile released from a slingshot.

"Of course, it will take more than just a push to make you realize the difference between us."

Aquilo readied himself in a stance once again. As Raizo approached his position, the silver-haired soldier squinted his eyes and focused in before stepping forward once again and delivering a piercing blow with the tip of the spear that pierced through his foe's shoulder. Then he pulled the weapon back and swung it around to hit Raizo in the chest with the pommel. The crushing blow had enough force to shatter a mountain with ease. For the berserk wolf, it was as if Akame struck him all over again.

The Vice General immediately followed this up with a rapid series of thrusts and stabbing motions that appeared as if he punctured the air millions of times. The pain delivered to Raizo's senses was akin to being pricked by needles thousands of times all over his body. Still, the outmatched assassin was determined to deliver something in return as he slung his scythes forward attached to chains around his wrists. The weapons wrapped around Aquilo's onslaught and went to slice the man open across his shoulders on either side; however, a silhouette of translucent, emerald armor appeared around the man's torso to protect him courtesy of Gungnir.

"Begone," Aquilo muttered with one final blow that pushed Raizo away.

The storm encompassing the area was calming down as the rain ceased. The harrowing claps of thunder soon dulled to quiet rumbles indicating the worst of the system had passed. As a result, the berserk state that enraptured Raizo's mind began to fade thus allowing the boy to return to his senses. His healing slowed by a significant degree which allotted him the misfortune of feeling the full extent of the damage that his body received. In the end, the ambitious avenger was brought down to his knees. His target loomed over him, spear in hand, casting a pitiable yet judging gaze.

"Give up this foolish crusade of revenge. It is not worth it to throw your life away over something pointless," Aquilo criticized before relinquishing a heavy sigh.

"Why not start over? Begin anew instead?"

"What? What the hell are you talking about?" Raizo spat out with irritation in his voice.

"Join us...become a part of the Jaegers, Raizo. Then we can rebuild the Order of the Blood Wolves! With my leadership in the Imperial Military, you can become a Commander among its ranks and together we will achieve something greater than the original creed ever could!" The Silver Fox proposed with enthusiasm in hopes his words would stir something up within the raging youth.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? You want me to join you? The same son of a bitch who betrayed everyone he ever knew and led them to their demise? A traitorous kinslayer with no sense of honor or duty? You have got to be kidding me," the assassin criticized with a tone of rejection.

Aquilo looked at the expression of his former comrade and rival. His emerald green eyes stared into the hate-filled crimson irises of the boy before the fox elected to crouch down for a moment. The Silver Fox took in another breath and exhaled knowing that his next words would make or break the progress of this conversation.

"I understand. The death of our clan was an injustice...one that cannot be simply overlooked or forgiven. It was a painful experience for me as well, yet I have come to terms with it. I see it as a necessary evil. Under Raiden's direction...the order was led astray and would inevitably collapse under the weight of its history.

Raiden convinced the clan to betray our oath...one that was passed down for generations of Blood Wolves. And for what? The entire clan turning against that core principle tainted the dignity of the Blood Wolves. As a result, the clan's destruction was a mercy lest they sullied themselves any further. The True Blood Wolves died the night when that man chose that path. Fortunately, it was handled swiftly.

If I recall correctly...around five years ago, you held the same viewpoint. You believed that serving the Empire was the only way and that rejecting that singular fact was foolish. Yet here you are, seeking vengeance for traitors. Though I can respect your need to honor the memory of the fallen, this mission of yours is nothing more than a misguided emotional reaction," the Vice General explained in great detail. This left the red-eyed assassin speechless for a moment.

"Perhaps...merely serving as tools of murder for profit is what led him to turn away from us. He is still serving the original creed...but on his own and of his free volition. But the Empire is just a cesspool. I admit, I was adamant in my belief to continue serving this nation; however, with what I've seen...I understand why Father elected to take another path. If only Aquilo kept his loyalty in check and came to the same realization, then maybe our clan would still be here and this war would be over," Raizo thought to himself.

"Once upon a time, I probably would have listened to you; however, I have seen the horrors of the Empire. I walked these streets and witnessed firsthand the depths of corruption that is seeded in this nation. Yes, our clan swore to protect this kingdom and to carry the principles of the First Pack; but, they did not instruct us to be blind to changes in power. Ever since the new Prime Minister took over, the Empire has been on a downward spiral; I realize that now. You and Esdeath blindly following his commands only amplify that point," Raizo stated.

"That is why we must heal the Empire from the inside, Raizo! Not destroy it!" Aquilo retorted.

"No. We walk in the shadows to serve the light - that is the ultimate impetus of our creed. If the Empire has betrayed our vision of what that light is meant to be, then it should fall. Besides, the Prime Minister and his thugs systematically kill for their own benefit. Be it a friend or foe, they won't hesitate to pull the plug. Because of him and his political hierarchy, there is no healing this nation. That is why this crimson rebellion was started. To stand against it would be to stand against the will of the citizens who keep those embers of hope hidden beneath their fear," the former blood wolf expressed passionately.

"I see… It seems that we will ultimately never see each other's point of view," Aquilo sighed once more as he stood up to raise his spear and deliver the final blow.

"We can agree on one thing: This nation cannot heal while its current leaders remain in power. Unlike you, I cannot condone the destruction of an Empire that has stood tall for a thousand years. Though my heart bleeds for the feelings of the innocent masses, I do not believe in this war.

When the rebellion is crushed, I will join General Budo and we will conduct a military coup. Together we will remove the Prime Minister from power and heal the country! Amidst the rebirth of a proper society—my order of Wolves will rise upon a new world! It is a pity that we cannot come to a mutual agreement; I would have liked to fight alongside you once more. Nevertheless, I bid you farewell, Raizo Arashi."

Aquilo raised his spear whilst visually aiming for Raizo's heart to execute the youth and put an end to this conflict between them for good. The defeated blood wolf cast a glance over towards the audience and saw the faces of Leone and Lubbock, both of whom looked on from afar during the entire rampage that the boy displayed. He could read their gazes and knew that they were helpless to prevent what was about to come.

"Just let it happen and continue doing your duty, I made my choice. This is the result," he pleaded in his mind as he took one last breath to accept his fate.

"My fight is over…"

It was like time came to a dead crawl in his mind. Every inch that the spear passed through the air was like the lengthiest series of seconds that spanned over vast increments of time. The boy placed his bet on the swiftest path to his lifetime goal, now he was faced with the consequences. He wanted it to end, there was no need to carry on living. To have absolution or die trying was his aim over these years. Dying with what little bit of honor he had left was a courtesy; now it felt like that death was taking forever to come.

Just as his wish was about to be satiated, a shadow brushed past him faster than he could blink. Quicker than lightning, a single figure emerged with long black hair flowing in the wind. The Red-Eyed Killer descended upon the execution like an angel of death as she held her trusted Teigu in hand. Using the pommel of Murasame, she dipped low and brushed past Aquilo's guard. In a decisive thrusting motion, she tapped the pommel against the Silver Fox's chest thus cracking Gungnir's energy armor and sending the man hurdling backward against a wall.

In the same sequence of events, a massive chasm of energy headed toward him which compelled Esdeath to take action. The Ice Queen dashed in and scooped up her protege to move him out of the way before the blast vaporized his location. The surprising turn allotted Raizo the opportunity to snap out of his daze and rise to his feet, his injuries gradually healing as a result. The fatigue from the overwhelming power surge sapped him of his stamina. Thus, he narrowly collapsed back down to his knees; however, another silhouette appeared alongside him to catch him from toppling over.

"Easy there edge lord, can't have ya dying on us too soon," the familiar patronizing voice of the self-proclaimed Genius Sniper said.

"Mein?" he raised an eyebrow of surprise upon seeing the girl's face.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…you're just so happy to see me that the excitement is drained from you. Save your strength, you can praise me later," she teased through a face of genuine concern lingering in her eyes.

"Should've known you'd…pull some crazy ass entrance like that," Raizo remarked in kind.

"Try not to celebrate too soon, we are not out of the woods just yet," Akame said whilst holding her blade tightly preparing to fight.

The dust settled as the Jaegers regained their composure to link up with one another and march together back towards the stage. As they proceeded to swarm in, Lubbock and Leone leaped from the stands and onto the stage as well to try and even out the odds; yet a group of five warriors, one of whom was injured, against a group of Teigu users whose abilities were still mostly unknown was a bad match up.

Just as an all-out skirmish was about to break out in the center of the arena which would have engulfed the entire Capital City in the flames of a supernatural warzone, a giant bat-like shadow disrupted the display from overhead. Upon inspection, the sight of a yellow creature known as an Air Manta appeared. A singular individual could partially be seen standing up on its back aiming with what looked like a bow and arrow.

Out of nowhere, that singular projectile split into dozens of arrows that bombarded the scene generating a plume of smoke. As the beast landed nearby, the ground forces of Night Raid were provided with a means of escape.

"Well are you waiting for a formal invitation?" the enigmatic leader of the hit squad said with a smirk.

"Boss!" Leone exhaled in relief as she motioned everyone to follow behind her.

"Let's save the touching reunion for later, hurry up while the smoke is blinding the enemy," Najenda ordered as Leone, Lubbock, Akame, and Mein–whilst dragging Raizo–were hurried aboard the beast.

As they loaded up, two other figures were seen sitting amidst Najenda and the archer's location though their identities were obscured by dark brown shrouds at the moment.

"Jeez, I let you out of my sight for a small bit of time and you get yourself in a serious mess, Raizo," chastised the bowwoman of the group.

"Heh…good to see you too, Yuki…" he mustered in a pained sigh.

After everyone was secured, the beast lifted off as quickly as it descended; however, Dr. Stylish managed to get off a swift hail mary throw of some mystery object onto the surface of the beast. The Air Manta quickly ascended into the sky and flew off as the smoke soon dissipated.

"Well, that was an unexpected turn of events," Ran observed as he dusted himself off.

"So that was Night Raid huh? They are an unpredictable group of individuals," Wave stated whilst deactivating his armor.

"I sense a troublesome confrontation ahead of us; nevertheless, we must weather through it," Bols added.

"Justice always prevails against evil. They are no match for our pride as defenders of the Empire," Seryu spat with pride.

"Still, they managed to get the drop on us on our grounds. Now that we know that the enemy is willing to drift into our midst, we must be ready at any given time," Aquilo proposed as he dusted himself off.

"Heh…I can't wait," Kurome smirked insidiously as she only thought of a showdown with her sister.

"Instead of waiting, we could take the fight to them. I managed to get a tracker on their Manta. Eventually, they will settle at their Homebase. We can use that as the opportune moment to strike and critically immobilize the rebel forces," Dr. Stylish said as he pulled out a monitoring device with a radar screen on display.

"In due time, for now, we shall fall back to plan our next move," Esdeath said as her eyes drifted over the crowd. At that moment, her gaze fell upon a mysterious man who sat in the stands undisturbed by everything that went down. She saw the red eyes of the male and caught a quick glimpse of his officer-like attire; however, before she could study him properly, he disappeared as soon as she blinked.

"A dream?" she thought to herself.

Turning on her heel, she saw Tatsumi was recovering from his brief knockout which caused her to tug on the chain that she noticeably maintained control of.

"Come along my dear, I shall escort you to the palace myself," she smirked happily.

"We shall discuss more of these matters later on. For now, let us fall back to rest and recover," Esdeath ordered.

"You seem undisturbed by the events that unfolded, General," Aquilo said whilst walking beside his mentor for a brief moment.

"I trained you well enough. I'm sure you were able to gauge Night Raid's strength just by their battle presence alone. I believe you have what it takes to lead the Jaegers to victory, don't you?" she analyzed with confidence.

"My team of hunters will bring down Night Raid with ease. I can tell. I wonder if this imminent conflict between our two groups will finally settle things between us once and for all, Najenda," smiled the Ice Queen as she thought of the battle to come.

Back on the Air Manta, Raizo sat back watching the city fade from view. His mind replayed the day's events over and over again along with his first face-to-face with Aquilo in all these years. He cast a glance down at his right hand and felt a surge of uncertainty wash over him.

"I guess I haven't become strong enough, have I?" he thought to himself. It was then that Akame reached out and put a hand on his shoulder whilst sitting beside him.

"Do not lose heart, take today's defeat as a lesson of what you need to work on for the battles to come," she began to advise.

"Emotions are a powerful tool; however, they can hold you back from your true potential. There was a time when I relied on explosive emotional rage in times of need to win a fight. It was beneficial at the time; however, taking the raw power of my feelings and sharpening them into my resolve is what ultimately made me into a better warrior. That is something you must learn how to do as well."

"Right…" he muttered while feeling the weight of his personal failure. As he thought about what he did during his blind rage, his mind replayed the visage of a girl who quite easily had him on the ropes.

"Hey, Akame…what do you know of that girl back there that wears an outfit like you except she has…black, soulless eyes?" he asked curiously.

"That was my sister, Kurome…" she revealed before taking a moment to breathe in and then out.

"She and I were both raised by the Empire to become blades to dispel rebellion. However, unlike me, she was not chosen to be part of the special forces group known as the Elite Seven. Instead, she was thrown into the mix of a separate division that utilized experimental drugs to make themselves superhuman at the cost of a drastically shorter lifespan.

This unit was also always under heavy mental conditioning, programming that made them extremely loyal to the Empire thus rendering them almost physically and emotionally incapable of escaping their purpose. If they did, their minds would torment them into slaying haphazardly.

I tried to take Kurome by force, but an old comrade of mine stopped me. By the time I saw her again, I barely recognized her…and she only saw me as a traitor thanks to being indoctrinated by the Empire. Now, we are fated foes meant to fight one another to the death. Reconciliation between us does not exist," Akame expressed fully.

"That's…heavy," Raizo commented. Hearing that story struck a chord within him as he was able to somewhat connect the dots between her story and his own. They were more alike than he previously anticipated.

"I hate that we had to leave Tatsumi behind," Lubbock called out from the side which only added more weight to the air.

"Yeah…I'm still trying to understand why Esdeath just took him the way she did," Leone surmised.

"Our spies in the palace say that Esdeath is, oddly enough, in search of love. Admittedly, I thought she was incapable of such emotion, but apparently, she is exploring it. Upon publicly disclosing a list of attributes she was looking for in a man, perhaps Tatsumi matched up with her requirements. To this end, we can only hope that he is kept safe as a result," Najenda explained.

"We just have to believe in him. If nothing else, maybe an opportunity will open up which will allow him to escape," Mein pronounced with a degree of optimism. Nevertheless, anxiety was dwelling in the midst of Night Raid's collective atmosphere.