Chapter 268

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On the second day after Abel and Tazmi successfully joined 'Night Raid', since there were no assassination missions at the moment, everyone in 'Night Raid' was busy with their own tasks. Some trained, some rested, and some cooked, enjoying a rare moment of peace. Tazmi, being a newcomer, was put under special training by Bulat, the owner of the armor-type Imperial Arm, 'Incursio'. Given his average strength and lack of an Imperial Arm, learning was his top priority.

 It's worth mentioning that Bulat is a muscular man with gay tendencies, and during the training, Tazmi often felt like he was being taken advantage of, though he never dared to speak about it to anyone.

"You think Bulat's strong?" Abel, who was lying outside in the sun and looking much less intimidating than the day before, was asked by Najenda, who had approached him.

"Good enough," he replied.

"Just good enough?" she prodded.

"Without his armor, I could kill him ten times in three seconds," Abel said lightly, and that was him being modest.

"And if Bulat was fully armed?"

"Without going all out, he might last a minute against me."

"You're very confident in your strength."

"Time will prove everything."

Najenda eyed him, "You're skilled with blades?"

"People say I have a talent for it."

"Why don't you have a quality weapon for yourself?"

This puzzled Najenda; the more she tried to understand Abel, the more secrets she uncovered about him.

"I had one, but I lost it. Are you trying to recruit me? Murasame would be nice."

This piqued Abel's interest.

Najenda was speechless, "You've already joined us, it's not about recruitment. I just want to understand you better. Besides, you know it's not common for someone to use two Imperial Arms at once."

"Moreover, even if I agreed, Akame would never allow it. I don't want to see you two fighting each other. The most important thing is compatibility with the Imperial Arms. If it doesn't suit you, you can't use Murasame even if you force it."

Abel caught the hint in her words, "Don't worry, I don't have a habit of stealing candy from kids. But one thing you got wrong: I've never used any Imperial Arms, believe it or not."

"By the way, prepare more food for lunch. I eat a lot. Free meals and lodging are one of the few benefits here, so keep it up." Without further desire to converse, Abel got up and left, leaving Najenda standing there, puzzled. 

She couldn't see why he would lie about something like that. Was he not considering them his comrades, or did he truly have no Imperial Arms?

It wasn't entirely impossible. She knew of masters at the Imperial Fist Temple who could match Imperial Arms users with their bare hands. Was Abel one of them? Perhaps a test would reveal the truth. Najenda looked towards the kitchen and decided to discuss it with Akame first.

During lunch, everyone finally understood what a big appetite meant. Abel effortlessly finished a table full of dishes and a large bucket of rice.

"I'll make some more," Akame said, getting up to put on her apron again. She had always been in charge of cooking.

"Thanks," Najenda said, going with the flow. After all, everyone else hadn't had enough to eat, and they couldn't afford to be hungry in case of an emergency.

"I'll help too," Tazmi volunteered, following her to the kitchen.

As for Abel, the instigator, he calmly drank his tea, showing no intention of leaving the table. 

His body, though a projection of energy from the system, was no different from his real one, feeling hunger and pain. So, he wouldn't compromise on food. Free meals and lodging were his minimum requirement for joining any group.

Soon, a meal twice as lavish as before was served hot on the table. This time, no one was polite. With a big eater like Abel there, it was eat fast or miss out. Anyone a second late with their chopsticks might as well lick the plates. And this was Abel holding back. If he truly let go, no one at the table would get a second bite.

Finally, the battlefield-like lunch ended. Despite feeling exhausted, at least they weren't hungry. This thought lasted until Abel, after finishing his tea, said, "I'm only one-third full, but I'll let it pass for now. I hope the organization can hire more cooks in the future. Being hungry does affect one's combat ability."

The room fell silent!

After Abel left, Lubbock cautiously joked, "Is this guy some sort of dangerous species disguised as a human?"

"Maybe that's reasonable," Bulat pondered. "Without enough food, he probably couldn't maintain his strong physique."

Indeed, the stronger the physique, the more energy needed, an eternal law. Just like the larger the dangerous species, the more terrifying their feeding quantity.

"Next time we stock up, get several times more food. And until we get new logistics staff, Akame, you'll still have to work hard," Najenda decided, acknowledging Akame's increased workload with Abel's appetite.

But Akame didn't complain, just nodded calmly.

While Abel meditated by the river, he heard footsteps and the sound of a sword being unsheathed behind him.

"Najenda said you wanted Murasame. If you're more suited to it than me, prove it to me," Akame stated, ready for battle.

Abel opened his eyes, stood up, and faced her.

"But there's no need for that. Just lend it to me."

Surprised, and perhaps influenced by his strong confidence, Akame silently handed over Murasame.

She was curious to see how he would prove himself. Abel held Murasame and immediately felt a strong malevolence emanating from the blade. Those who couldn't withstand this malevolence couldn't use the cursed blade. But for Abel, there was no blade he couldn't control.