So got some ideas on how I wanted this chapter to go. This chapter is mostly original as the fight between Merraid is supposed to be against Akame. I did use that fight for references and for dialogue, but this chapter is mostly original, so the fight will differ than the one Akame would've had with Merraid.

Anyway, I thank you for reading and hope you enjoy this chapter. I felt satisfied with the end of it and again, I hope you enjoy it.

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Akira had decided to confront Merraid Oarburgh herself. He felt the need to do this. He first Cornelia to Taeko of Oarburgh, and then it was Gin to Merraid herself. Needless to say, he was pissed. He felt the need to take her on himself in order to get closure for Gin's death, since he's gotten his closure for Cornelia when he killed Taeko.

He took a step forward, dashing with great speed. While it wasn't as fast as Akame or Poney, he's considered the third quickest of the Elite Seven, fourth if Najasho was still there, considering he's essentially the better of everyone else. Tightly gripping the handle of Gin's sword, raising the blade over his head for an overhead attack. But Merraid took a step back as well, from her back, three wrigglers come out, the Oarburgh woman trying to prevent Akira from getting close.

But Akira's bloodlust was great, him reacting quickly as he swiftly cuts them down, his icy cold glare trained on the Oarburgh woman. The icy blue-eyed teen then raises his hand, an icy blast leaving it as Merraid ducks to the side, the ice shot going past her as it lands on the lake behind her, freezing a portion of the lake. When she turned back to look at the boy, Akira was already close enough to get in her face, him raising Gin's sword as he slashes it down. Before the blade could hit her, Merraid was able to kick Akira in his stomach, causing him to be sent back as he skids along the grass, him recovering quickly as he stomps his foot. An explosion of ice occurs as ice spikes begin to make their way towards her, Merraid jumping into the air to avoid it. But she was a bit late on her response, the ice spikes able to cut her as small amounts of blood drips from her side and legs.

She lands a few feet back, her eyes still trained on the icy blue-eyed boy. His ice prowess and his glare reminded her of a person she had fought years ago, one she tried to seduce. Back when she was around the age of twelve or thirteen, Merraid had participated in an arena fight. And during her time there, she met a girl her age who had icy blue hair with nearly the same colored eyes as Akira. In fact, her name is Esdeath, who is the very same General Esdeath of the Empire's army. Merraid knew how tough Esdeath was, noticing how some of her fighting styles were slightly incorporated into Akira's moves as well. So if she came to the conclusion that Akira was trained by Esdeath, even if it was for a little while, it may prove troublesome for her.

Merriad clicks her tongue in annoyance, sending out a few more wrigglers to Akira's location. The boy creates an ice pillar below him to propel himself into the air, taking out Prometheus as he flicks his wrist and fires three quick shots. He uses it's ability to curve the bullets, concentrating severely on the bullet's path. But, this leaves him vulnerable, open to attacks. Merraid uses two of her wrigglers to sacrifice themselves as they take the bullets themselves, Merraid able to dodge the last one. Annoyed that none of his bullets landed a hit, Akira sheathes Gin's sword onto his back, creating ice daggers as he begins throw multiple of them towards Merraid.

Merraid was able to dodge a few of them, but a majority of the ice knives were embedded into her legs, rendering her immobile for a little. Once he landed on the ground, Akira created a slim ice sword, about as long as the one Esdeath carries. He then dashes as fast as he could, prepping to lunge the ice sword into Merraid. But Merraid was prepared for such of an obvious attack, the woman deciding to use all of her remaining wrigglers.

A swarm of wrigglers then come out of Merraid's back, the icy blue-eyed teen jumping back as he puts his hand on the ground. As the swarm drew closer, he lets out a chilling breath, ice spikes appearing all around him as it lunges upwards, piercing the wrigglers and trapping Merraid in a specific spot. While it is such a powerful move that him and Esdeath could do, considering this was the last move she taught him before she left for the battlefield, this severely depleted Akira's stamina.

Drawing Gin's blade once more, he begins walking to the area he trapped Merraid in, him having made a clear pathway to where he trapped her. Smashing some ice that were in his way, Akira found the area he supposedly trapped Merraid, but to his surprise, she wasn't there. Akira closes his eyes as he begins honing his senses, him quickly turning around as Merraid was heading towards him with killing intent. Just before Akira had froze the area around him, Merraid had jumped into the air and had hid her presence, so all she had to do was wait for Akira to come to the area where he supposedly captured her. Akira jumps and rolls to the side, Merraid's nails missing the icy blue-eyed boy.

From the autopsy of what Gozuki told them about Gin's body, insects had erupted and ate her from the inside. And there was a single slash on her arm, and Gozuki had noted that Merraid attacks with her nails in close range combat. So Akira had narrowed it down to where Merraid kept insect eggs under her nails, so he had to do his best to avoid it at all costs.

After rolling out of the way, Akira sees Merraid coming for him again, him taking Prometheus out once more. But Merraid was close enough that Akira wasn't able to pull the trigger fast enough, her knocking the gun away. Akira grits his teeth, him going to take Gin's sword from his back. But he was stopped when Merraid grabbed him by his neck, now lifting him up in the air as he struggled to get out of her grasp.

Merraid: "You thought those bugs were the last of them, hmm? Unfortunately for you, there are still more. I could see the glint in your eyes that time. You were so pleased to think you'd seen the last of them. But people are always so quick to believe anything that makes them feel better."

As Akira continued to struggle, with her other hand, Merraid grasps the handle of Gin's blade, lifting it off of Akira's back. She examined the blade for a bit, then putting it up against Akira's neck.

Merraid: "For such an ugly blade, it is well balanced to wield, especially for a girl like her to hold it. Any last words before I cut that throat of yours? People tend to mutter the names of their loved ones before they die."

But Akira didn't respond, only spitting in her face. Merraid lets out an annoyed sound and she prepares to cut his neck. But Merraid had forgotten that she never restrained Akira's limbs. Putting as much strength into his legs, he kicks her off him, forcing her to let go of his neck. Merraid then skids back, her feet creating a dust trail as she skids across the ground. Having been dropped onto the ground panting, Akira got up slowly, him creating an ice sword in his hand.

Still keeping the same glare he always had for Merraid, the Oarburgh woman shivering slightly, a chilling breath leaves his mouth.

Akira: "That sword doesn't belong to you. Give it back."

Merraid still kept her grip on Gin's sword, her looking down at it. With a smirk, she brings it up and holds up in front of Akira.

Merraid: "If it's that precious to you, come take it."

With an angered yell, Akira sped off, dashing forward as he thrusts his ice blade forward. The tip of his ice blade strikes against the steel blade of Gin's, Merraid's grin only growing wider as she jumped back, dodging a slash from the fury-filled Akira.

The only thing Akira was filled with was rage, blinded by vengeance. He jumps into the air, doing a front flip as he comes down with an overhead slash, Merraid parrying the attack. Before she could retaliate, Akira lands on a single leg, quickly turning and spinning his body around as he lunges his foot over from the side. Merraid blocks the kick with her other arm, attempting to use Gin's blade to cut Akira's arm off. But the boy was quicker, heading to his belt as he took out his knife from it's sheathe. Thrusting the knife forward in quick succession, Merraid glances to her left.

As she sees the knife's blade goes past her, she sees a red liquid flying into the air. Blood. Akira was able to cut her cheek, even if it was just by a little.

Enraged herself, Merraid goes to kick Akira in his stomach, Akira being quicker as he switches his sword into a reverse hand grip. Plunging the sword down into her leg, the Oarburgh letting out a grunt of pain, he let's go of the ice blade, conjuring another ice sword as he thrusts it forward, stabbing it through Merraid's chest. While it wasn't a fatal blow, it did deal a lot of damage to her. Akira's goal wasn't to kill her as fast as possible. It was to make her suffer for as long as possible. Before Akira could follow up with another attack, he felt a sharp pain on his left arm. Wrigglers. Merraid had stated that she still had some more, but Akira wasn't sure how many. She still had quite a few, so she sent those out and had them attack the boy's arm.

Grunting in slight pain, Akira kicks Merraid away from him, him grabbing his knife from his other arm to swing it at the wrigglers. But they had already flew off, heading to Merraid as she stood up from a tree branch. Akira could see Gin's sword was stabbed into the ground in front of him. Both of them had sustained a reasonable amount of damage, but out of the two, Merraid was the one who sustained the most, having an ice blade stabbed into her leg and into her chest, just a few inches away from her heart.

Merraid: "I'll admit it, boy, you're a tough one. So I'll just have to get tougher."

Coming out from her dress were caterpillars, Akira looking confused. He was then startled as the caterpillars began to make a cocoon around the Oarburgh woman, Merraid letting out a sadistic giggle as she does so.

Akira: "What the hell...?"

Merraid: "These bugs may not be Teigu, but they come from the same root...and every Teigu has it's ferocious hidden technique..."

Once the cocoon was formed, a crack was formed at the top. The cocoon was soon erupted open, revealing Merraid into an entirely different form. She resembled to that of a butterfly.

Merraid: "A trump card, if you will."

Akira: "That form...it's similar to what the Gravekeepers do."

Merraid: "Your composure tells me you have experience with this. But how do you like this?"

Akira: (thoughts) 'What the...the wounds I inflicted on her before...they've completely healed...?'

Merraid: "My body's been reconstructed. It's not so much 'healed' as 'out with the old and in with the new.' Even if it does get rid of my injuries, I don't prefer this technique. Because it makes it necessary for me to do my own attacks. And it's much more in my nature to control insects."

And in the blink of an eye, Merraid had quickly appeared in front of him. Akira was very surprised, him jumping back. But due to his late response, Merraid was able to land a hit, her having picked up Gin's sword and swung it down. Akira let out a pained yell as he was slashed across his shoulder down to his lower chest, him falling to the ground.

With her other arm, Merraid's nails were now extended, her lunging it down to land a killing blow. Akira rolls out of the way in time, the nails of Merraid digging into the ground. Jumping back a considerable distance, Akira begins to create numerous ice daggers, him continuously throwing them. But thanks to Merraid's new form, she was able to dodge them all, Merraid then shooting out a silk-like substance. It latches onto Akira's leg, Akira quickly cutting it off with his knife. In doing so, Merraid sped off with her wings, flying straight towards him. Once Akira looked up, Merraid was already in front of him, the Oarburgh woman driving Gin's sword through his stomach, Akira coughing up blood as he yells in pain.

Merraid had always enjoyed torturing men, so seeing Akira in pain brought a sense of delight within her. Readying her claws, she goes to lop Akira's head off. But it the icy blue-eyed teen wasn't done yet, him creating an ice gauntlet that looked reminiscent to that of Crushing King, the destroyed Shingu once wielded by Cornelia. With a pained yell, he punches Merraid in the chest, his gauntlet shattering as she was forced off. While the punch was powerful and did a bit of damage to Merraid, she was able to shrug it off, now hovering with a glare.

Akira was breathing heavily, blood dripping down his mouth as his shaking hand was brought up to Gin's handle. Putting a tight grip on it, he began gritting his teeth as the pain he felt began to increase. Slowly, and painfully, he began removing Gin's sword out. His eyes then meet Merraid's glare, thoughts running throughout his mind.

Akira: (thoughts) 'Shit, I lost a lot of blood there. Damn, if she had this fortifying technique, why didn't she try taking advantage of it sooner...? There's probably a draw back to it. Wait...what was it that Najasho said about the Gravekeepers?'

Najasho: "You can't maintain a fortified state for long."

Akira: (thoughts) 'Then she can only maintain that form for so long. Once it runs out, that'll be my chance. But the moment I show at least a single chance of vulnerability, I'll die. I'll just have to come at her and get to the bottom of it.' "You die...now!"

Despite the amount of blood he had lost, Akira still kept going, the adrenaline is one of the things keeping him going. Running forward at Merraid, the Oarburgh doing so as well, Akira held a tight grip on Gin's weapon. He quietly said to himself, "Gin, lend me your strength once more."

With both of them yelling, their blades clashed against each other. The two were now locked into a clash of blades, parrying each other's strikes. Like the Oarburghs, Akira himself was activating the release of his limiters without even realizing it.

Merraid: "I never knew you could rally such strength in order to stave off death, boy! You have just as much potential as Akame! Had you joined the Oarburghs, you'd probably have inherited the title of Grim Reaper of the Oarburghs!"

Akira: "Just shut up!"

Doing a horizontal slash, he knocks Merraid's nails from out of his view, shocking her. Akira then goes for another horizontal slash, but he missed, Merraid spinning her body around as she does a spinning kick, hitting Akira's face. Once again, he skids across the ground, coughing up blood in the process.

Merraid: (thoughts) 'Looks like he's reached his limit...I'll be sure to deliver the finishing blow before my upgrade runs out.'

As she drew near, Akira closes his eyes, listening carefully and honing his senses. He waited for Merraid's presence to draw closer. And once she did, he opened his eyes, using what remaining strength he had left as he grabbed Gin's blade. Jumping into the air, Akira then returns the favor that was brought to him before, him driving Gin's sword right through Merraid's chest.

Merraid: "That was...im...pressive..."

Now on top of her, Akira kicks himself off Merraid, taking Gin's sword with him. However, he didn't stick a perfect landing, Akira falling to the ground, him struggling to get up, him attempting to use Gin's blade for support.

Akira: (breathing heavily) "I...I...I did it...did you see that Gin...? I won...I won...and I avenged you. You can...you can finally rest now..."

Akira's eyes now grew heavy, him beginning to close his eyes. But he then hears a familiar voice call out to him, turning his head slightly. Running towards him was Akame, tears leaving her eyes. Of course, this wasn't a surprise to him. Akame would always be worried when she sees a comrade heavily injured.

Weakly, he mutters her name, him keeping two hands on Gin's sword as he begins making his way towards her, although slowly, using Gin's blade as a walking stick. He didn't make it far, but as soon as Akame got close to him, he was engulfed with a hug.

Akame: "Why...why did you have to go and do this alone..."

Akira: "...I'm...sorry...but, this was something I had to do...for myself..."

Things seemed to be at peace, but Akira never landed the killing blow. Merraid begins to sadistically giggle, the two looking at her. While Merraid never said any words, the two could infer that they weren't in the clear yet. They then looked down, seeing bugs making their way towards them. Explosive ants.

Akame attempts to pick Akira up in hopes of both of them escaping, but both of them knew that they wouldn't both make it. But Akame had to try. Akira on the other hand felt different.

Even if they did make it out alive together, Akira felt that he wouldn't make a full recovery, seeing as he suffered numerous injuries that were nearly life-threatening. So he made his choice, which was most likely his last one. But before he did, he wanted to at least show some sort of confession.

Moving his head up towards her, Akira moved his hand towards Akame's face. The red-eyed girl looked to him, thinking that she would protest to him about leaving him behind, but what he did was unexpected to her. The next thing she knew, she felt lips on hers. His lips. Akame was confused as to why he was doing this, but she felt something shoved into her hands. When Akira separated, she looked down, finding the raven skull necklace that he always wore around his neck.

Akame: "Wait, what are you--"

She was cut off when Akira pushes her, him slamming his hand down. The red-eyed girl reached out towards him, but her view was obstructed as a wall of ice had erupted in front of her. After doing so, weakly, he begins walking to the edge of the lake, him sitting down as he gazes up at the moonlight.

Merraid: "Why..."

Akira: "...Huh?"

Merraid: "Why would you do that to her...?"

Akira: "...I had always loved her, but...I always knew that my feelings would never reach her. So, I might as well tell her in some form before I regret it, since I accept my fate."

Merraid: "...I see."

On the other side of the ice wall, Akame kept hacking away at the ice to get through. She didn't know what that kiss meant to her, seeing as those kinds of feelings were confusing towards her. No matter how much she tried slashing and hacking away at the ice, it barely made a dent, only small cracks being made.

Then, she heard it. The explosion. The ice in front of her began to collapse, her being sent back due to the explosion blowing it away. Once Akame came to, she got up and began to frantically search the area. But neither Merraid or Akira were seen, only scorch marks on the ground and craters from the explosive ants. Looking down to her hand once more, she clutched the necklace Akira had shoved into her hand, the tears she once wept now coming forth once more. Akira is the fifth casualty.