This isn't the first time it's happened, I just never got around to announcing it. At the time of posting this chapter, this morning, Retribution reached #1 in the akame tag.

Thank you! It's thanks to your support that we were able to reach that rank!

---

Outside Night Raid's base, Akame and Tatsumi were kneeling over a small cot. Lying on the cot was the familiar pink-haired girl, Mine.

She was in a coma. Just a bit away from the two were Najenda, Leone, Chelsea, and Lubbock, the green-haired teen's hand in his pocket with the other hand fumbling around with Shambala. Tatsumi then brought his hands down, grabbing one of Mine's as he cradles it.

One of the nurses standing by the wagon that was to ship Mine away to the Revolutionary Army's HQ looked to the silver-haired general.

Nurse: "We'll look after her until she wakes up."

Najenda: "Thank you."

Akame: "Mine. When the fight's over, we'll all come get you. Okay?"

Tatsumi: "Yeah. When that time comes, marry me. Mine, I love you."

A small chuckle escaped Najenda's lips as she closed her one eye, Lubbock grumbling to himself as he felt jealous. Chelsea was next to him and she laughed at his response, elbowing him in the stomach as it prompted him to be annoyed at her and tried to playfully strangle her. Leone on the other hand let out a whistle, zooming over to her best friend and put an arm around her shoulder.

Leone: "So?~ When can I expect you and Akira's wedding? Can I be your maid of honor?"

Akame: (blushes slightly) "Marriage... That would be lovely."

The ravenette whispered the last bit to herself afterward, a smile coming to her face. But it soon morphed to a frown, sighing as her icy blue-eyed partner wasn't with her.

Soon, the nurses load the cot onto the wagon and the nurses got in. The wagon soon trots off, the group watching it go off into the distance.

Akame: "There they go..."

Tatsumi: "Yeah."

Lubbock soon stops trying to strangle the poor girl and begins making his way to Tatsumi, his arms behind his head. He soon puts the brown-haired teen into a headlock, grinding his knuckle against his head.

Lubbock: "Don't fret over it, Tatsumi, my boy. Just win the war and then you'll see her again. Right?"

Tatsumi: "Heh. You're right, Lubbo... But that reminds me."

Lubbock: "Hmm? What?"

Tatsumi: "How are you still alive? Esdeath told me you died."

Najenda: "I would like to hear that as well. You saving us at the last moment certainly surprised me... Us."

Lubbock: "Well, you see..."

---

A Day Prior...

After their Danger Beast had been shot out of the sky by Budo, Mine had responded with attacking as well. She had put everything into her last attack, so much that it decommissioned Pumpkin.

However, they soon discovered that she was now in a coma, and they were still amidst in a battlefield. As Najenda hoisted picked Mine up, picking her up bridal style, they all heard a roar of soldiers escaping their mouths. Hordes of them began to head their way, spears, swords, and other weapons at the ready.

Chelsea: "Tch! There's too many of them to fight off!"

Najenda: "Indeed. If we don't get out of here quickly, we'll be overun and all of us will perish here!"

Akira: "Akame..."

Akame: "What is it?"

Akira: "Hand me Harvester. I'll cut them all down so you all have time to escape."

Akame: "What!? I won't leave you!"

Akira: "Just hand it to me. I'll cut them all down, no matter what. Even if they cut off all my limbs and render me motionless, I'll use my mouth to fight if I have to."

Akame: "I won't let you."

Akira: "This isn't up for debate! Just go--"

The reaper's sentence was cut off as they heard an explosion. The horde of soldiers halted their charge as they turned around. Plumes of smoke and debris picked up and began rising out of the open-ceiling arena. The Imperial soldiers were in a scramble, unsure if the explosions coming from the arena was a surprise attack from the Revolutionary Army.

Before anyone else could be said, they heard a voice coming from the alleyway to their left.

???: "Hey! Down here!"

Najenda: (eyes widen) "Lubbock!?"

Lubbock: "We can save heartfelt tears of my return later! Come on! Down this way!"

And so, they all traveled down the alleyway to Lubbock's location. Akame helping Akira down the hall with Fenrir behind them, Chelsea supporting Leone as well. Najenda carried an unconscious Tatsumi and comatose Mine. Once they arrrived at the green-haired teen's location, he took something out of his pocket. It was Shambala.

Lubbock: "Here's hoping it works correctly. Shambala!"

He placed the Teigu onto the ground, a translucent purple yin-yang symbol appearing under them. And in seconds, they disappeared without a trace, like they were never there in the first place. The only thing they left behind was the destruction they left in their aftermath of the battle, and the dead Danger Beast that rested in the streets of the Capital."

---

Present Day...

Najenda: "I see. So Cross Tail has been destroyed."

Lubbock: "Yup." (holds out Shambala) "Now I use this baby, this Teigu belonging to the Prime Minister's son. I killed him myself."

Tatsumi: "But that doesn't explain how you still survived, Lubbo."

Lubbock: "Well, after we got captured, I was suffering numerous beatings from Syura so he could extract information. Of course, I didn't really say much aside from things that were obvious. After I killed him, I grabbed this Teigu and used it to warp myself out of there, but ended up being teleported to somewhere else in the palace."

Chelsea: "You were surrounded by tons of soldiers, right? I can't imagine you coming out of there unscathed. Considering you guys got detected in the first place."

Lubbock: "Ouch, way to rub salt in the wound."

Najenda: (sigh) "Continue the story, please."

Lubbock: "Right, right. I would've died from being surrounded. But it was all thanks to Akira that I was able to get out of there smoothly and wire all the explosives under the arena for a distraction."

Akame: "Akira saved you?"

Lubbock: "Yeah. Came in like he was some wild boar, crazed grin and everything that was almost similar to Esdeath, even."

Just saying that sentence, he received a death glare from the red-eyed girl. Lubbock choked on his spit as he laughed awkwardly and looked away before he coughed and returned to his serious expression.

Lubbock: "If he hadn't jumped in like that massacred all those soldiers, I wouldn't have escaped. He was considered a more dangerous threat than me, so they all focused on him. But still, there was one thing that surprised me."

Najenda: "What was?"

Lubbock: "It was the way he was acting. I mean, I guess he was like that when we met him at the beginning, but this time, he took things to whole other level. I had a few theories as to why his behavior was like that so I dig some digging around revolving around his Teigu."

Najenda: "And? What did you find out?"

Lubbock: "Before leaving the palace, I did some digging around some records to find all that I can about Harvester. They way that things was made..."

The silver-haired general asked about the details, Lubbock beginning to explain Harvester's origins. Like most of the Teigu that were made, Harvester's materials and ingredients that were used to make it came from a faraway land, coming from a monster known as a Lich. It's appearance is similar to that of a corpse, living on the highest mountains that are known to be the graveyards of people.

It has boney limbs and has three balls of green flames surrounding it, it being said that those belong to the souls of those it's killed and stolen. It's also a fairly tall creature, floating as it has no legs, the apparell it wears are drabby and rugged cloaks with thin drapes all around it, a tattered hood that covers it's rotting head. This was where Harvester's main abilities to extract souls and empower it's user. The color of the Teigu belonged to the materials of a slime-like creature known as a Black Flan, which resided deep underground and is known to be one of the most difficult Danger Beasts to defeat. However, the summoning capabilities that the Teigu is also known for came from the materials from a Danger Beast a Psychomancer, which is a stronger variant to it the most common Danger Beast Necromancer. The appearance of the Pyschomancer was similar to that of the Lich.

Lubbock: "But there's also one more other fact that was written in the report of it's creation. It's said that the Lich used to make it still lives within it. From what was written in the report, the more the user takes in souls to empower oneself, the stronger the Lich grows, the influence of it affecting the user itself."

Akame: "So you mean..."

Lubbock: "Yeah. Akira's behavior as of recently is most likely to that of the Lich. The side effects of it are hallucinations of the victims they killed, the hallucinations of past loved ones that are no longer living, and the voice of the Lich itself. Should this keep up, it's only a matter of time that Akira succumbs to the Lich's demands and orders, becoming a living demon himself."

Najenda: "I see. So this is why it's considered one of the most volatile Teigus out there. It's that dangerous."

Lubbock: "Yep. And how it got out in the east, it may have been stolen during the civil war that the Empire was engulfed in years ago. It's previous user must've been some crazy maniac that succumbed to the Lich's orders and did a crazy massacre there."

Chelsea: "Then that probably explains that so-called 'tragedy' in the east. They said the many deaths that occurred there was a result of a huge plague."

Tatsumi: "So that too was nothing more than a lie forged by the Empire."

As they all talked among themselves, Akame stayed silent. Akira's Teigu was similar to that of Incursio, the base creature that was used to create it still lived after all these years since it's creation.

But it's the that one fact Lubbock mentioned that had caught Akame's ears, something that she didn't believe. If her boyfriend were to keep collecting souls, he'd be what most people would call a demon. And it was something that he was already calling himself in the first place. She didn't want to believe that it would happen to him, thinking that Akira was strong enough to resist such urges. But with how things were, it didn't seem that were the case. This only resulted in her desire to save him from such a fate to grow stronger.

Najenda then looked to her.

Najenda: "Akame."

Akame: "Yes, boss?"

Najenda: "See to it that he doesn't collect anymore. We'll need him for the upcoming battle that will soon arrive, of course. But I doubt it'd be something that you'd want."

The ravenette simply nodded, telling the rest of them were dismissed. However, she held Tatsumi back to speak with him about something.

Najenda: "Tatsumi. How's your body holding up?"

Tatsumi: "No problems here. In fact..." (clenches hand) "It's like my body's overflowing with power..."

Najenda: "The doctor did say that..."

(A/N): Once again, I'm too lazy to actually write it out, so I'll just put in the pictures.

Najenda frowned after remembering what the doctor had explained to herself and Tatsumi. One problem just kept coming after another.

They were a member down and lost a Teigu, Mine put into a coma and Pumpkin being decommissioned and unable to be used. It was already a devasting piece of firepower that has been lost. Then, they lost Cross Tail, no longer having a defense perimeter around their base, but they didn't lose Lubbock's strength and gained a new Teigu, Shambala. Chelsea was soon getting better, her proficiency with a sword better than those of a normal Imperial grunt, but they wouldn't be enough to take on to those that of the Jaegers or anyone close to that level. Tatsumi was now fusing with Incursio, who faces certain death in his current situation.

And finally, Akira. In terms of strength and firepower for the team, it remained the same. But his sanity level could be that of in shambles at this point. He must be unraveling at this point, considering he can hear a voice inside his head that are giving him orders and each day that passes making it harder to refuse it. And should he collect enough souls, he'll certainly be powerful, but the cost of losing and succumbing to himself to the Lich that resides within his Teigu, becoming a mindless and dangerous demon.

Tatsumi notices Najenda's troubled expression, soon speaking up to ease her worries.

Tatsumi: "I'll be fine, boss. If I can use it four more times, that gives me plenty more chances than Su-san's Trump Card. And I'm sure Akira will be fine if Akame is looking after him." (clenches fist) "In the final stand off... That's more than enough for me...!"

Najenda: (sighs) "Sorry. I'm tempted to tell you two not to fight, but now that we know of Esdeath's Trump Card, I can't. Incursio can contend with her frozen air and we'd be losing an immense strength to our team. We need it. Please."

Tatsumi: "You got it. ...The Revolutionary Army will win, right?"

Najenda: "The way things stand... Ordinarily, I'd say victory is pretty much in the bag. But the Minister probably has something up his sleeve. Plus there's the unparralled strength of Esdeath. If we get full of ourselves and make a careless attack, they'll break through our forces and turn this thing around."

Tatsumi: "You mean there's no room for slacking."

Najenda: "Yes... That's why we're keeping pace with them now. As soon as all the soldiers from the various regionional rebellions congregate we'll attack the Capital en masse. And after the Capital's fallen, we'll encircle Esdeath with all our forces."

Tatsumi: "Esdeath would still take on that many, wouldn't she?"

Najenda: "That's right. For her, this situation's probably a reward. Having so many enemies to take on..." (thoughts) 'Because even if it means dying, she'd be dying on the bloody battlefield. She'd enjoy it as her body dies. For the war-hungry, there's no better way than going out than that.' "We cannot permit her to live. If we let her survive, it will only bring new strife."

Tatsumi: "...Until now, I'd hidden who I was. Esdeath used to be obssessed with me. But I think she'll be more serious next time." (faces Najenda) "This is a deciding battle. If this is a role only I can fulfill, then I will defeat her with everything I've got!"

Najenda: "Right." (grin) "You blow her away."

Tatsumi: (grits teeth) "I'll do it... For Lubbo's and Mine's sake too...!"

Najenda: "...That's enough. Don't blame yourself so. Especially for their situations. All of Night Raid is one for all and all for one. I'm sure they would say the same thing."

Tatsumi: "...You're right."

---

Inside the base, everyone was left to their own devices. Lubbock and Leone were in the lounge room, drinking their thoughts away. They were thinking that Tatsumi most likely blames himself for the situation they were put in. Especially Mine's. His whole safety was being endangered by the effects of the war.

But one thing's for certain. The base felt empty. It wasn't going to be as lively as it used to be.

In the training grounds, Chelsea was practicing with a wooden blade, trying to hone her skills as fast as she could. She wanted to be useful on the battlefield again. As as she swung her blade at the training post, she grunted and dropped it, noticing there were blisters on her skin. She went to pick it up, but remembered Akira's words about her resting. Sighing, she picked up the blade and put it away, seeing as it was enough training for the day.

Akame on the otherhand went to see her lover in their shared room. She opened the door, the wooden structure letting out a creak. The ravenette peered inside, seeing Fenrir sitting by the bed, whining sadly as it stared at it's master. Akira was in the corner of the room, muttering to himself as held some sort of crazed expression. Some laughter and giggles were mixed in as well.

In front of him was the key of Harvester, the moonlight reflecting off the shiny black key. Every now and then, the key would pulsate with it's familiar green glow every time Akira consumed a soul. It was as if the Lich within it was communicating with him.

She didn't like this. Not one bit. Entering inside the room, she walked on over to him, just stopping short right in front of him, blocking his view of the key.

Akame: "Akira."

He didn't respond to her. He only kept muttering to himself and giggling as well.

Akame: "Akira, look at me."

Again, he still didn't respond to her. His giggles got louder.

Akame: "Akira--"

His next next action then surprised her. He had shot up from his spot in the corner and grabbed her by the neck, then shoving her down onto the bed. Fenrir had jumped in surprise, barking in hostility, growling at it's master's change of behavior.

Akira: "Don't talk to me, wench! If you keep talking, I'll take your life next!" (sadistically giggles) "I wonder how well you'll bleed."

An ice knife was then created in his hands, Akira beginning to inch it closer to Akame's neck as he kept giggling. Truth be told, Akame didn't hold any resentment for this. It was just the effects of his Teigu that were making him act like this, not himself.

A cracking noise was soon heard, Akira's widened as he dropped the ice knife. Akame had slapped his face, causing him to retract his grip around her neck. He soon begins to recollect himself, taking in his surroundings. He looked down below to see Fenrir looking at him worriedly, but still in a defense stance on his four legs. He then looked down at Akame, the girl having a small glint of hurt in her eyes, but forgiveness hinted in them. But even still, he went against the one thing that he told himself he'd never do. He never said he'd hurt her anyway, even though he had done that days ago. Just seeing her hurt had cut him and hurt him himself more than any other knife or sword would.

He went to go say something, apologize to her, but was met with Akame wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek and whispered something into his ear.

Akame: "It's okay. It wasn't your fault... You can let them out if you want to. I'm hear for you."

He contemplated her words for a moment before he began to let tears out of his eyes. Akira leaned his face into the crook of her neck, Akame smiling slightly as she rubbed the back of his head.

It didn't matter if people called him a monster or a demon. It didn't matter if many resented him for his actions or of the things he's done in the past. It didn't matter if his appearance changed to look the part of a demon. What mattered to him and her the most was whether they still loved each other or not.

And they still did. They loved each other with all they could show toward each other. It was as if nothing could break the bond they held.

Yes. Nothing could. Not even the Lich that resided within his Teigu.

---

Imperial Capital, Jaegers Strategy Room

The remaining Jaegers were the leader, Esdeath, and her two subordinates, Wave and Kurome. You could count Run if you considered the fact that he resides within Yatsufusa as a puppet.

The three of them stood over a table, which displayed a map of the Empire and the surrounding lands. Strategy pieces and other items littered the table to symbolize as their forts, fortresses, armies, and their enemies.

Wave: "As far as the Rebel Army's movements go, they're planning on uniting as one massive force to besiege the Capital. They're waiting for backup to come now."

Esdeath: "I'd thought we could strike them down piecemeal, starting with whichever army got impatient and advanced the farthest forward, but they're actually holding strong to their line."

Kurome: (munching on her cookies) "If they underestimate us, even a little, it should be easy."

Wave: "The unit in the field tells me it's the Rebel Army's main forces. That'll be our strongest opponent."

Esdeath: "When it comes to clashing forces, none are my equal. With an army of this size, the real threat is whoever is supplying their provisions. I'd love to crush whoever that is, but he's probably not going to be found on the frontlines."

Kurome: (nods) "I see."

Wave: "There's a constant stream of soldiers abandoning the Empire. And the Captain's unit is stuck out West... Do we really have a chance of victory?"

Esdeath: (nonchalantly confident) "Of course we do."

The blue-haired man stared at the icy general with a sweat dropping expression. Esdeath soon grinned as she pointed her thumb out the window behind her, gesturing for them to look.

Esdeath: "For example, we have that. Look out the window."

Kurome: "Out the window?"

The two rushed over. Kurome and Wave let out surprised gasps and shouts as they gazed outside, seeing what was happening.

Kurome: "Th-This is the power of a Teigu...!?"

Wave: "If we have that, then with the right strategy, it'll cut their numbers down for us...!"

Esdeath: (grin widens) "There's also the two supreme Teigu that the Minister has in reserve. It will be a grand battle where friend and foe have a full arsenal of Teigu. It will be a taxing fight, of course. But there's nothing more fun than that." (begins heading for door) "Those who feld don't know what they're missing. I'm going to give the our remaining men a motivational speech and straighten out the ranks. You two guard the Capital from within. There will probably be those who try to take advantage of the tumult to attack from the inside. You know what to do."

Wave/Kurome: "Roger!"

The blue-haired woman nodded her head and adjusted her cap. Before she could leave, Wave posed a question toward her.

Wave: "...Captain. Another thing. I heard that Tatsumi was with Night Raid."

Esdeath: "Yes. I was rather shocked." (turns head back slightly) "Hmph. Were you concerned for me? I don't think you have to worry... But at the same time, it's a new, refreshing experience to be worried about."

Wave: "Captain, do you still have... Feelings for Tatsumi?"

Esdeath: "Of course. Even if the situation's different now, my feelings haven't changed. You remember the advice Bols gave. It's important not to give up."

Wave: "But, you're enemies now, so how...?"

Esdeath: "...It's embarrassing to talk about, so I won't say much. But when I felt firsthand how Tatsumi had evolved, it changed my way thinking. Next time our paths cross, I will go after him with everything I've got. I won't go easy on him again. Tatsumi will never understand how I feel. Even if I must kill him, as long as it's by my hands, I'll be happy."

---

With their orders for the oncoming days, Wave and Kurome retired for the night. The two headed into the man of the sea's room, Wave sitting by the desks as he has piles and stacks of books by his side. A book was even open in front of him.

Kurome had a book pulled out as well, copying on what he was doing. Wave leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms in the process.

Wave: "Kurome. It looked like you understood how the Captain feels."

Kurome: "That's 'cos I want to kill my sister too. And if anyone's going to kill me, I'd like it to be her."

Wave: "...I don't get it. But as long as the Captain's happy, whatever. For Bols... And our comrades who fought for the Empire... And the person I owe all my training to, I'm going to do what I can."

The black-haired girl had stopped what she was doing and was instead listening to Wave's words, to which Kurome smiled at. She then closed her book, looking at him curiously.

Kurome: "You've been reading a lot of books lately."

Wave: "What Run said about a way to change the Empire from the inside out... I want to carry out his will."

Kurome: (clenches fist in a supportive way) "If you fight off this adversity, the turmoil following the end of the war will be your chance for a major promotion, Wave!"

Wave: "Yeah! Now to study until my evening duties!"

He resumed back to his books, Kurome letting out a slight giggle as she stood up. She yawned and stretched in doing so, looking toward Wave's bed.

Kurome: "I'm going to take a nap." (flops onto bed) "It reeks like the ocean."

Wave: (annoyed) "If you've got a complain, then sleep in your own room!"

Kurome: "...Nah.~ I'll put up with it..."

She soon hugged one of his pillows, curling up as she began to fall asleep. Wave stared at her for a moment before he let out a stiffled chuckle, smiling in the process as he resumed studying.

---

Honest's Private Dining Room

Honest: "Haaah.~ It certainly is a tragedy."

In the Prime Minister's dining room, the fatass of a man had met up with Dorothea, the alchemist sweat dropping as Honest pigged out on the delicacies of food that were on his table. However, she was also disgusted, how sloppily gouged down on almost everything on the plates.

Honest: "Even if they are the enemy, to think of all rhe hundreds of thousands of people that will be slaughtered... It makes me lose my appetite by a slice of ham."

Dorothea: (stretches arms and chuckles) "The supreme Teigu is so huge that they get worn out in specific little spots. I've finished with the 'restorations,' Minister.~"

Honest: (wipes mouth) "Nnf heheh. Thank you. Adding an alchemist to the mix has upped our strength."

Dorothea: "Now, if I'm at liberty, I'll be leaving the Capital."

Honest: "To hunt and feed?"

Dorothea: "Yes, we've run out of prisoners. And I want her to grow as big as possible for the deciding hunt." (sly grin) "Plus, it'll cut down on the enemy forces. The timing is perfect."

Honest: (laughes devilishly) "I'm looking forward to it."

Exiting his private dinner room, Dorothea than went onto the palace grounds and skipped off to her workshop. She opened the large doors to it and found Izou inside, holding onto his katana, Kotetsu, leaning up against a bookshelf.

Izou: "So is it finally our turn?"

Dorothea: "Mm-hm. I'm going to have a picnic with Cosmina outside. Join us."

Fumbling with some switches and buttons, Dorothea pulled on a lever. In the tube in front of her, Cosmina could be seen inside. However, she was different.

Her appearance had changed, giving her skin a more hardened appearance, and she had more legs that made her resemble to that of an insect Danger Beast. Cosmina's eyes soon awoken, a yellow glint in them as Dorothea grinned with a proud look.

Dorothea: 'As Cosmina keeps eating, she will become stronger than anyone in the world. She'd probably surpass any of the supreme Teigus. Heh heh heh. I've raised her to make my own ambitions become true as well!'