No one's POV

Grief, it was obvious that was what everyone was feeling if anyone even thought about it. Some, like Poney, let their tears fall freely while others. Najasho, couldn't even muster a single tear to fall but still felt the regret of not being able to be of any aid. He never showed it, but deep down he care deeply for his teammates. Akame and Green were doing their best to hold their tears. But it was obvious which two members of the Elite Seven took Cornelia's death the hardest, even if how their showed their pain differently.

Gai spent the entire afternoon collecting flowers and put them on Cornelia's tomb. While the second rank of the Elite Seven continue to stare at the tomb. Silent. That was all he did. Regret, guilt, frustration filled his heart. As if a hole that could never be filled was there.

Gozuki: Gai, we're leaving now.

Gai: This isn't enough, it just doesn't do her justice pop. I wish we could offer a lot more flowers than this.

Gozuki: Our time's up, it's not good to stay in the same place for too long.

Gai: Are we really going to leave Cornelia here?

Poney: Gai...

Gozuki: Yes, she's dead now. The ones who killed her were the Oarburgh organization of assassins. Take your anger out on them.

Guy: Just who are they anyway?!

Hearing the organization who killed Cornelia made Gai flew in rage. He threw a bag of more flowers on the ground, petals slashing out of it and scattering around the memorial. He asked whom the Oarburghs are and Najasho and Gozuki answered them.

Najasho: A guild of assassins that takes its name from the mythological God of Death, Oarburgh. They say that the Oarburghs have been involved in most assassinations throughout history.

Gozuki: They have a lot riding on them, for the sake of their pride they'll probably be sending another hitman.

Gai: The Oarburghs...!

Ryu: Gai, let's get a move on.

Gai: Ryu...

Gai stare at Ryu who continue to had his eyes covered by the shadow of his hair. Before long he finally raised his head and everyone could finally see his eyes. They were ragged. He was trying his best to act like the second in command.

Ryu: If we stay here any longer, we'll get attack by the enemy. Doing that will only make Cornelia sad. And if it did, she will only blame herself even more and feel even more awful. After all, she'd always have the strongest sense of responsibility...

Before long, tears started streaming down the boys face once again. The tear that he was trying to hold burst out. Surprised face was shown on everybody, including Gozuki. Ryu was always the one whom take good care about anyone. Whom always shows the most concern for everyone other than himself.

Ryu: Oh man... What am I even saying... She'd always...

Akame and Gai: Ryu...

Tears stream uncontrollably. Sadness was all that filled him now. The smile whom always greeted him during the morning. The laughters, the mesmerizing face and eyes that would brighten when she saw him are not there anymore. The promise he made to her cannot be fulfilled any longer. The chance he wanted to give could not be given.

Akame: Ryu...

The black haired girl and crimson eyes did the only thing she could do. Comfort the boy by slowly wiping his tears. But his sobs only grew louder, and his tears could only flow even more. They all walk away with clouded face.

(Timeskip)

Before they finally left and regrouped in a mountain range a fair distance away from town. The place surrounds them was a grassy fields with some lake near them where they all could get some rest.

Gozuki: Thanks to your efforts, a number of spies and rebellious factions within the Empire have been crushed, however the enemy's counterattack was fiercer than we'd anticipated. This deep in the mountains, we probably don't have to be worried about being snuffed out. We'll rest here for now. Then after a while, we'll come down to the village and take up more work again. Until then, do whatever you need to to get over it.

Gozuki looked at his adopted kids and spoke at words of commands. As much as he wished to be harsh on everyone, including their first dead member he couldn't. He thought back to those old memories where he first adopted Cornelia, before he taught them how to become an assassins, and how cling she was to him.

It hurt to see her go, much more than he wishes to admit. She was one of their best, and an overall good daughter.

Gozuki(mind): Really is a bit hard to bear...

While the others were still trying to cope in their own ways. Poney was sitting next to Ryu hugging her knees tightly, while the boy didn't say anything but do nothing other than staring at the sky.

Poney: He told us to get over it, but... I just can't...

Ryu: I see...

Najasho: Well then, work at it. Otherwise, you'll only get yourselves killed.

Poney: And where are you going?

Najasho: I'm going to practice. We still have to keep up with our training.

Poney refocused herself, knowing how she'd try to get over this as she rose to her feet to follow Najasho.

Poney: I'll come with-

Najasho: The only one of you shrimps that I'd allowed to come along isn't even willing to get back on his feet. Don't tail me.

Poney: How can you be so mean?!

Poney frown with how Najasho just casually dismissed her. She turned to Ryu who was getting up, a blank stare towards the sky as she approached and tried to get his attention.

Poney: Ryu, do you want to spar with me?

Ryu: Hmm... Nah. I feel like hunting some danger beast. So sorry, Poney. But I'm not sparing with you today.

Poney: Aww...

Ryu: Tonight, I want to cook all the best food that Cornelia loves so much. After that I should be fine. It's not my thing to stay dead for long. If I did, I will only make Cornelia even more upset...

Poney looked at Ryu dumbfounded for awhile before smiling. She wanted to cheer him the most since he's probably the most sad out of all of them, but it turns out she didn't have too. Ryu's got his own way to cope with things. By making all of Cornelia's favorite food, Ryu could feel like Cornelia was there by his side watching over him.

Poney: Right.

Gozuki(mind): Everyone had their own way of coping things out.

Gozuki thought to himself as he watched from the shadow of how everyone was doing. Gai was just laying on the grass. Poney was training her martial arts on her own. Najasho was swinging his sword to let his frustration out. Akame was taking a bath at the river. She was letting her tears and her sadness be washed by the river water. Green was just trying to help comfort Akame, but turns out he doesn't have to. While Ryu was just out there hunting danger beast so he could gather ingredients to make Cornelia's favorite food for tonight.

(Timeskip)

Two weeks have past since Cornelia's death. And everyone had their own way to cope with it. But the time for coping around has come to past. The Elite Seven or Six now had been gathered as Gozuki got another mission for them.

Gozuki: I have a new mission for you guys. It will involve sending you away from the empire... To the land of Putra.

Akame: !

Putra. Since long ago, it's served as a relay point for traveling caravans. It's a canyon filled region situated in the north-west of them empire. A natural fortress, Putra is not ruled either the empire of the tribes of the north or west. It has built up a unique culture all its own that has lasted to today.

Gozuki: Putra is a rocky and barren land. It can't be cultivated and, as such is not worth the effort it would take to capture it. All the land has to offer is its history. There's a giant tomb where a King of Old rests. According to the people of Putra, he was a Grand King and was buried with his riches and treasures.

Green: I'm surprised it hasn't been raided yet.

Gozuki: That is because of the Grave-Keepers that guard the Tomb. Those who venture near the King's Tomb Die. They used mysterious magic art to protect their wards.

Poney: Ugh... Gross..

An uncomfortable face appeared on Poney, but Gozuki continue regardless.

Gozuki: Now, to get to my point... recently rumors have surfaced that the treasure in that tomb might actually be objects that were stolen from the empire. Among them is a Teigu that has been missing.

Akame: The people expressly stole it?

Gozuki: There was probably a limit to how many items they could supply to the tomb. I can't imagine they were that well off in the first place.

Poney: What matters is having heart more than any treasure! If this slumbering King was so great, they probably felt they had to uphold his honor.

Gozuki: Anyway, when investigator from the empire went to Putra to dig up evidence to support these claims... They were all cruelly murdered. A message reading, 'stay away from the tomb', was found with the bodies. But that's not all...

Ryu: There's more...?

Gozuki: Yes. Some weeks later, the family members of those agents were murdered in the same way... In the capital.

Akame:...!

The Elite Seven eyes widened at the news they just heard. This was the foes that they will be dealing.

Gozuki: It's a little to convenient that they should steal the treasure for themselves and then tell others to stay away. You are all to go to Putra, kill the GraveKeepers, and recover all the treasures. That is your mission. This will also serve as a huge aid to the empire which is having financial difficulties at the moment.

Green: So we're going to a foreign land... Sounds like it'll be another tough job.

Gai: I'll do whatever you want. And I'll pick up the slack Cornelia left too!

Gozuki: Well, this wasn't originally a mission for you guys. The other team of assassins trained in the capital was already sent to the site.

Akame's eyes widened a bit as she realized who the other team was.

Akame: You mean Kurome!

Gozuki: We've received an S.O.S from them. That's why we're going as reinforcement. If that old geezer sent out a request for backup, then they must really be in trouble.

Akame eyes widened even further at the new. Worried face was all over her.

Akame: S.O.S?! Kurome...!