The Retribution Group. A group formed from the remnants of organizations that were attacked by the Elite Seven of the Empire. One of them is Mudi, the leader of the group, and former member of the Gravekeepers.

Currently, his team was walking up a rocky hill, turning his head around. Behind him were Najasho and Akira, the two of them acting as his bodyguards. Mudi had found Najasho at the bottom of a large gap inside the tomb his former comrades once protected. How he turned Najasho over to his side was by using a parasite that the Gravekeepers would often use to control others, so with Najasho being infected by it, he was now Mudi's puppet to control. The same way was with Akira, the former Gravekeeper having heard the news of the death of Merraid Oarburgh.

He scouted out the remains of the destroyed Oarburgh hideout, Mudi finding a river. As he traversed down it, he had grinned to himself. There lying unconscious on the bank of the river is the Elite Seven's No. 2, Akira. Akira's clothes had been torn in half, half of his upper chest having burn marks and many slash and stab wounds all over his body due to his fight with Merraid. And like Najasho, Mudi used the same process on Akira.

Mudi then faces the front, seeing the rest of his teammates. They hadn't removed their cloaks like Najasho or removing the hood like Akira. Mudi then sighs as they continued walking up the rocky hill of Mount Hakuba.

Mudi: "When it comes to revenge, it's all about drawing out the process, draining their strength until you've achieved your goal." (legs shaking) "But seriously, what is the deal...with all these mountain paths...?"

???1: "He's already barely able to walk."

???2: "Pathetic."

Mudi: (panting heavily) "Y-Yeah? Well, so what? I've got them."

Najasho: "Are you all right, shrimp master?"

Akira: "Need someone killed? If you don't got any, don't bother asking me anything."

Mudi: (mutters) "Though, they could use a lesson on manners..."

Akira: "So? What do you want to do?"

Najasho: "He's right, shrimp master. We're surrounded."

Soon, people come out from hiding behind the rocks and high-end areas of the mountain. The two cloaked persons, Najasho, Akira, and Mudi were now surrounded by the supposed bandit group.

Bandit 1: "By the looks of you, you lot can't be up to any good! What are you doing here!?"

Mudi: "We want you to hire us. We're selling you our services. Please let us meet with your boss." (holds up wine jar) "Look! We've even brought Putra liquor as a gift."

Bandit 1: (crosses arms) "Any new members wishing to join us are required to go through a rigorous inspection."

Mudi: "Ah! Don't treat us like rookie recruits! Think of us more like bouncers. Real masters of trade you can rely on to come running at every, 'please help!'"

Bandit: "What a clown...if you're going to be bouncers...then let's see what you're made of."

Mudi: "Très bien! Very well. Time for some spotlight!"

???1: "Understood."

The first cloaked person of the Retribution Group took it off, revealing it to be two children, one sitting on the other person's shoulder. Dual knives were strapped to their waists on their belts.

???1: "Behold the power of sisterhood!"

Upon seeing the two children, the bandit group begins laughing, making the children pout in annoyance.

Bandit 2: "Th-They're just children! One's sitting on the other's shoulders!"

Bandit 3: "And what's the deal with the way they're talking? 'Behold'!?"

The laughs begin to grow louder, the two children, actually being twin sisters, began to grow even more annoyed. Visible tick marks appear on the top of their heads.

Mudi: "Now, Meela-san, Lorris-san. They're not the of your grudge."

Meela: "We know."

Meela, a blue-haired young girl with a single ponytail, had run up to one of the bandits, her kicking him with such force that his jaw broke. Also, the speed she had traveled had shocked them as well, the bandit she had kicked didn't even realize she had moved that fast. They all look at this new group with nervousness, anxious as to what else power the others possessed.

Mudi: (grin) "They're survivors of the Oarburgh clan. If you don't take them seriously, you'll be in a world of pain."

Meela: "Now, sister! It's a race!"

Both Meela and Lorris, also a blue-haired young girl with two ponytails, rush into the group of bandits. They were frantically trying to fight them off, but it was proving useless as the little girls were much stronger, kicking them with ease as the young girls laughed with glee.

One of them tries to sneak up on Meela, drawing a knife. But Meela had turned around, punching him square in the face as the bandit was knocked out. Large amounts of dust clouds had arisen, due to the scuffle that was occurring. Once it cleared, it revealed that the small group of bandits that had engaged the two young girls were all knocked on the floor, dead.

Meela: "And that's how it's done."

As she stated that with a satisfied grin, her twin sister, Lorris, was busily counting the dead men, the ones she took out. The person who Mudi was talking to, the underling of the "boss", looked at the scene with shock.

Bandit 1: "Th-This is..."

Meela: "I trust you get the message now? Now take us to your leader!"

???: "Waaaaait!"

Suddenly, a buff and burly man had jumped down from the overlook the ringleader was on. While he looked confident on the outside, seemingly unfazed about the display of power the twins had shown, he was nervous and shaking on the inside.

Bandit 4: "It's too dangerous to bring these people to the boss! As the strongest man on the mountain, I will take care of them! Send them packing!"

A dark aura seemed to be leaking out of Akira, thinking the man had called him weak. As he goes to grab his sword, which is actually his former comrade, Gin, Mudi held his hand up. Akira stopped what he was doing and Mudi looked to the other cloaked person.

Mudi: "How reckless of them to keep lining up for us to knock them out...Mashiro-san."

Mashiro: "I didn't want to show my face here, but I suppose there's no point in hiding it now."

The cloaked person, known as Mashiro, then removes the cloak. It revealed to be a woman, her having silver neck length hair with golden eyes.

Mashiro: "It actually might be less trouble to just reveal myself."

Bandit 4: (gasp) "Wh-What a woman! But I know all about chicks like you! Babes are to be feared! I'm not gonna get sloppy and go easy on you! I'm coming at you with all my strength!"

Mudi: "Mashiro-san! No weapons."

Mashiro: (sigh) "But I could take him out with one blow from my weapon. Oh well."

As the burly man had barreled towards Mashiro, throwing a punch, Mashiro blocks it with her forearm, taking the hit head on. She looked unfazed, grabbing the man's arm and lifting him upwards, throwing him on her other side. The man looked shocked as Mashiro wrapped her legs around his torso, her arms around his neck, ready to snap it.

Mashiro: (menacing grin) "Now see here."

From above, the rest of the bandits watched with completely shocked looks. 

Bandit 5: "When it comes to strength, I really thought he was among the top ten strongest in the Empire."

Bandit 6: "What's that woman made of?"

Meela: "Instant kill."

Lorris: "Sis! I killed two more people than you."

Meela: "What!? Then I'll kill three more!"

Lorris: "Oh yeah? Then I'll kill four!"

But the two young girls were stopped. Akira and Najasho having moved at quick speeds, removing themselves from Mudi's side as they put their hands on Meela's and Lorris's shoulders.

Akira: "Knock it off, brats."

Najasho: "Besides, the fight's already won."

Meela: "Outta the way, pretty boys!"

Lorris: "We were raised by the Oarburgh standards of love, so those pretty faces of yours can't sway us!"

Najasho/Akira: (confused) "What are you talking about?"

Mudi: "Just let us see your leader already. You're not doing a very good job of stopping us."

Bandit 1: "I don't care! You guys are an abomination! Wipe 'em out!"

The bandits soon erupt into cheers, having found a new found valor to incite the men in taking out the Retribution Group. Even if they tried to take them out, the Retribution Group would come out on top.

Mudi: (sweat drops) "Oh dear...they're too distrustful for their own good."

???: "Wait!"

Before the plan to take out the Retribution Group could go into full effect, the bandit's leader had stopped them. Turning their heads, the bandits come face to face with the leader of Mount Hakuba's bandits, Suzaku.

Suzaku: "These guys won't be a problem. Let them by."

Bandit 1: (shocked) "Boss..."

Suzaku: (looks to Mashiro) "Hmm? I spy a familiar face. Mashiro-san, what have you been up to...? You'll have to tell me all about it."

Mashiro: (irritated sigh) "I knew this would happen."

Mudi: "I see, I see. Très bien. I knew it. So the bandits are just a camouflage for the Rebel Army."

Timeskip-Mount Hakuba, Rebel Army Base

Mudi: "I gotta say, the Rebel Army sure has gained strength."

Mudi and his Retribution Group could be seen in the Suzaku's meeting room, the former Gravekeeper pouring Suzaku a shot glass of the Putra wine. 

Mudi: "I can't believe they've established a front line base."

Suzaku: "It allows us to monitor multiple cities at once. Judging by your attire...you're a Gravekeeper from Potulu. The liquor's from Potulu too."

Mudi: (smirk) "You're sharp. I'm Mudi, the last remaining Gravekeeper...I was out on a mission...and when I came home, I found the whole place destroyed. I will exact my revenge on the Empire's assassination unit that wiped out my brethren. And I won't just kill them. I'll make them suffer...that's a Potulu Gravekeeper rule."

Suzaku: (looks to Meela and Lorris) "And I hear those two are Oarburghs."

Lorris: "The Oarburghs have been destroyed...so this isn't business for us. We don't need the money."

Meela: "We won't forgive them..."

Lorris/Meela: "The Empire's assassination unit killed Madame Mera."

Suzaku: (thoughts) 'That's a death glare...if I ever saw...' "And you, Mashiro..."

Mashiro: (drinking wine) "...Yep. It's deep grudges that bind us together. I promised my love Kouga. We swore we would change the country. But that dream was stolen from me. I won't forgive them."

When the name "Kouga" was mentioned, Akira clenched his head in slight pain. He started seeing a young man with dark brown hair, smiling at him. Along with a few others, two women and two men. He couldn't remember their faces, or names, but trying to remember it hurts for some odd reason. A feeling of regret.

Suzaku: "If you're going to fight the Empire, you should focus on bringing about a revolution alongside us, like you did before..."

Mashiro: (looks down) "No. I have no intention of coming back. If I did, I'd be forced to abandon my grudge and work for a greater cause."

Suzaku: "There are some missions we can't accomplish without you, Mashiro-san."

Mashiro: "That's none of my concern. I hated that stuff. It's why I pulled out in the first place. First...I will have my revenge so I can move on."

Suzaku: "...I see. You used to be called the Super Agent. I wish with all my heart we could work together again."

Lorris: "What's the story here? Do these two know each other?"

Meela: "Mashiro-san used to be in the Rebel Army, and this den of thieves is a camouflage for the Rebel Army. It's no surprise that she'd know a face here."

Lorris: "Aaah. You're so smart, sis."

Mudi: "So you see, we're a group driven by the same grudge against the same group of people. And here we are. Which means..."

Suzaku: "It won't be long before this place is attacked...by the Empire's assassination unit."

Mudi: "Ding, ding, ding! That's correct! When we learned of their plans, we came here. Let us stay. We swear we'll intercept any assassins."

Suzaku: "So basically, we're bait. Fine. If Mashiro-san's with you, then I trust you."

Mudi: "I'm so glad that was settled so quickly."

Suzaku: (looks to Najasho and Akira) "And what's with those two?"

Mudi turns his head around, seeing Akira and Najasho sitting against the wooden wall. The two were looking down, pondering something.

Mudi: "Oh, them? They're my bodyguards. We're using a secret technique to get them to cooperate with us. They're suffering from amnesia due to a head injury, but they're wicked strong."

Mashiro: "From what I've been told, they were probably also part of the Empire's assassination unit. And I heard the one with blue eyes is the one that killed Merraid Oarburgh."

Meela: "If that's the case, I don't want to look at them."

Mudi: (sadistic grin) "Come, now. They'd be killing their own comrades...it adds a real spice to the revenge we'll be dishing out. I hope the entire assassin unit...shows up soon. There's such a range of hatred awaiting them."

Outside of Rebel Base...

Out on a cliff overlooking the Rebel Base, the Empire's assassination unit had arrived. They were positioned behind rocks, seeing the base below them.

Gozuki: "Aww, geez. Their defenses are too tight."

Green: "And they're less likely bandits and more like armed forces."

Gozuki: "You're right. This is a base of operations for the Rebel Army."

Green: "Then the Imperial Army should have been sent to fight instead. Is this really a job for assassins?"

Gozuki: "They're probably hesitant on account of a previous encounter."

Akame: "What previous encounter?"

Gozuki: "Southwest of here is Mount Firm. It was also a camp for bandits. But they were too much for the weaker, local forces to handle. So an official unit was sent out from the Empire to subjugate them. But the bandits turned out to be part of the Rebel Army. General Najenda, who was the commanding unit, apparently had long been sympathetic toward the Rebel Army's cause. So she took her troops and turned them over to the Rebels' side."

Akame: "General Najenda..."

Kurome: "That spineless...! It's unforgivable!"

Gozuki: "It was a pretty heavy loss for the Empire. That's why they left it to us this time. Besides, deploying the army is costly."

Green: "That's unreasonable to put this on us!"

Poney: "C'mon, we should be able to break through their defenses, don't you think?"

Kurome: "But we haven't come up with a strategy yet, idiot."

Poney: (sad smile) "Heh..that sounds like something Akira would say."

Gozuki: (sigh) "This may be a long trying job for us. Our objective for this mission is to assassinate the bandits' leader...and if they're affiliated with the Rebel Army, we will eradicate their forces."

Akame: "So you're saying the entire group is suspected to be part of the Rebel Army...?"

Gozuki: "Killing the lot of them will serve as a warning to others."

Green: "But there's no way we can take them all out with so few of us."

Gozuki: "That's why we're going to report our findings back to the Capital. We'll tell them the situation's dire. This isn't just a matter of taking out one leader. This mission will probably turn into a joint mission with the Incineration Squad, among others."

Akame looks towards the the Rebel Army's base. Her heart was clear, her goal dead set on eliminating them. She glances down towards her neck, clutching Akira's raven skull necklace.

Down at the base, Akira looked out the window he was by. He could feel it, them being watched. Although, they could all feel it. A battle was to occur. But if anything, the assassination unit had no idea of what their opponents were going be. Especially when two of them were going to be familiar faces.