Chapter 157: The Charm of That Kick
The next night.
"I'm asking, why have you been following me all this time?"
"Well... my job is to be a bodyguard."
"Shouldn't you be guarding the gate to prevent outsiders from coming in then?"
"But... a bodyguard's duty is to protect the master of this house from any harm. Since you are the sole master of this household, Mr. Yotsuba, it is my responsibility to stay by your side at all times and ensure your safety."
"..."
Mahiro was completely speechless.
He found it both irritating and amusing, to the point where he couldn't help but chuckle.
According to the latest intelligence from Akame, tonight was the time for Night Raid's operation.
But what was the result?
Not only had Leone skipped work again, but she had also sent Sheele over instead, who had been clinging to him ever since.
It was obvious that Night Raid had sent Sheele to keep him occupied so they could take action against Ogre and the others.
Did they think this would be enough to stop me?
The corners of Mahiro's lips curled into a faint smile before quickly returning to normal.
"Miss Sheele, would you like to take a walk with me in the garden?"
"Huh?"
The sudden invitation and Mahiro's abrupt change in attitude left Sheele momentarily stunned.
But with her single-core, single-threaded processing and limited computational capacity, how could she possibly see through Mahiro's intentions? So she simply nodded slightly and replied:
"Sure, no problem."
The night was as dark as ink, the moon like a hook.
In the vast garden behind the mansion, Mahiro and Sheele walked quietly.
Although there were no girls in the household particularly knowledgeable about gardening, under their care, the plants in the garden had grown lush and vibrant, possessing a wild, natural beauty.
"A dark and windy night—truly a fine time for killing."
Mahiro looked up at the night sky and couldn't resist sighing with emotion.
"Huh? Did you say something just now, Mr. Yotsuba?"
"Nothing, I didn't say anything." Mahiro smiled gently and pointed to a patch of lawn nearby.
"Let's go sit over there."
That lawn was originally planned to be planted with roses, but since no particularly beautiful or unique varieties could be found, the project was put on hold.
Still, it made for a rather nice resting spot. One could say it offered the best vantage point for lying back and admiring the night sky.
The refreshing floral fragrance permeating the surroundings was even more soothing, making one relax involuntarily.
"Miss Sheele, could you grant me one request?"
"Hmm, although it's not within the scope of what Leone instructed, if it's from Mr. Yotsuba, it should be fine as long as it's not too excessive."
Sheele pressed a finger to her lips for a moment before arriving at this conclusion.
At that moment, she sat sideways beside him with her legs crossed, a shawl draped over her shoulders, looking every bit like a gentle and refined young lady—especially with her innocent, unworldly demeanor, which made the resemblance even stronger.
"Miss Sheele, could you hold me and let me lie in your arms for a while?"
"Eh? Although I don't understand why you'd make such a request, Mr. Yotsuba, it's fine."
"Like this, right?"
Sheele shifted closer, moving behind him, then slowly lifted his body and laid him in her embrace, crossing her hands in front of him.
The warmth enveloping him, along with the steady, powerful heartbeat echoing in his ears, gave him the sensation of sinking deep into a mother's embrace.
The warmth felt even more comforting when the gentle night breeze blew by.
This was something he had wanted to do ever since meeting Sheele.
It was also what had been done to Tatsumi in the original story to comfort him.
He just hadn't expected it would be so easy to enjoy.
"Sigh, Miss Sheele, you're really easy to fool. I feel like I could trick you into bearing me a whole soccer team."
"Lord Yotsuba, that's a terrible thing to say. Although I'm not very smart, I'm not completely clueless either."
Sheele's slightly displeased voice reached his ears. Even without looking, he could imagine her adorable pouting expression.
He couldn't help but chuckle softly.
But he didn't say anything more. After lying there for a while longer, he got up from her embrace.
"Lord Yotsuba? Where are you going?"
"To the restroom."
"Ah, wait for me, I'll go with you~"
Sheele quickly stood up and trotted after him.
However.
After Mahiro entered the restroom, more than half an hour passed without him coming out, and there was no sound from inside either.
Sheele, who was waiting by the door, couldn't help but murmur:
"Lord Yotsuba sure takes a long time in the restroom..."
...
Meanwhile, at the Night Raid headquarters, it was almost time for their operation to begin.
But before setting out, Leone privately sought out Akame.
"Um... good evening, Akame."
"Hmm? Is there something you need, Leone?"
Seeing Leone come in with an unnatural expression, Akame felt somewhat puzzled.
"The operation is about to start soon, shouldn't you be making preparations, Leone?"
"Everything that needs to be prepared is already done, so... I came to chat with you, Akame.As if realizing her expression was somewhat stiff, Leone compensated with her movements, casually sitting backwards on a chair in the room and leaning over the backrest to examine Akame with a subtle expression.
Akame tilted her head slightly, looking curiously at Leone.
"If you have something to say, just say it."
"Alright then, I'll be direct. What's your relationship with Mahiro from the Secret Security Force?"
When Leone asked this, Akame's movement of sheathing Murasame at her waist paused slightly, but quickly returned to normal.
The expression on Akame's face remained indifferent and calm as she said:
"Relationship... it's just the relationship between instructor and student. Lord Yotsuba was my instructor in the assassination department."
"Is that all? No other relationship?"
"No, that's all."
"Then what kind of men do you like, Akame?"
"Eh... why are you suddenly asking such a question?" Akame was slightly taken aback, looking at Leone with some confusion.
"Ah... well, I'm just curious, purely curious..."
Leone's smile was somewhat awkward. She could only approach this indirectly—after all, she couldn't just say directly to Akame:
"You were clearly having intimate relations with Lord Yotsuba last night, how could your relationship be that simple?"
"Men I like...?"
The first figure that appeared in Akame's mind was Mahiro.
But her relationship with Lord Yotsuba absolutely couldn't be exposed now. After thinking for a moment, she came up with an answer.
"I don't have such thoughts."
Akame shook her head and said: "Our identities dictate that even if we have men we like, we can only watch them silently from afar."
This answer seemed somewhat cold, but it matched Akame's style perfectly.
However, Leone interpreted it differently.
"Even if you like someone... you can only watch silently?"
Affected by the weight in Akame's words, Leone couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.
Her mind immediately began fabricating various love-hate entanglements between Mahiro and Akame.
Akame had betrayed the empire because of their boss.
Yet Mahiro, bound by duty, had no choice but to issue a warrant for Akame's arrest.
Two people clearly in love were forcibly separated, only able to secretly meet in hidden places to confess their feelings to each other.
It was the classic tale of loving yet being unable to meet, yearning yet being unable to obtain.
And Akame could only constantly suppress these feelings.
To be honest, Leone somewhat envied Akame. After all, what young woman doesn't dream of love? Even the most rough-and-tumble girls were no exception.
Even a girl like Leone yearned for a profound emotional connection.
But they were assassins—such things were destined to be beyond their reach!
Unless they could wait until the day the revolution succeeded, until the day they could shed their identities as assassins.
But... would she even live to see that day?
At this moment, Leone became certain—Akame truly did like Mahiro, but couldn't be with him because he was a high-ranking imperial official, while Akame was considered a traitor to the empire and her former instructor!
"Sorry, Akame, for bringing up painful memories... but don't give up! If you keep trying, there will be results someday!"
Leone patted Akame's shoulder in encouragement before turning to leave her room.
"Thank you..."
Akame tilted her head, watching Leone's retreating back with a puzzled expression.
She didn't quite understand what Leone had meant, but it seemed she had passed this test?
...
Under cover of night, Night Raid began their operation.
Akame headed directly to the extravagant, decadent mountain mansion that Iokal had built in the outskirts of the Imperial City.
Leone went to deal with the merchant Jamal.
As for Ogre, he would be assassinated by Bulat wearing the Incursio Teigu.
From the distance perspective, Bulat was closest to his target, but his mission was also the most difficult.
Assassinating a cautious garrison captain at the edge of the imperial palace within the Imperial City—the difficulty was imaginable.
"I hope tonight's patrols aren't too strict."
Bulat, who had infiltrated the Imperial City in disguise, slipped into a street corner to change into the Incursio Teigu, activated its invisibility function, and departed immediately.
What seemed like a flawless operation was actually being observed by several people from a tall building.
"Lord Yotsuba, why go through all this trouble? Let me lead a team to capture that small fry for you and bring back the Teigu."
Feeling the evening breeze on the rooftop, Nahashu coldly proposed.
His sharp, hawk-like eyes were fixed on Bulat's movements.
"The boss is right! If we make a move, we can easily take down a Teigu user in no time!"
Poney waved her small fists, her words and demeanor filled with confidence.
No, it would be more accurate to say she was overconfident, like a pufferfish.
"Idiot, what do you think a Teigu user is? Some common trash? Have you forgotten how Kurome beat you to a pulp during our last sparring session?"
Gin planted her large sword on the ground, crossed her arms, and mercilessly teased.
"Hmph! Kurome is Kurome, and others are others! I don't believe some sneaky, cowardly guy could be stronger than Kurome!" Poney tilted her head, clearly unconvinced.
"Alright, you two, stop arguing. Why don't we hear what Lord Yotsuba has to say?"
Acting as the big sister, Cornelia mediated, stopping their quarrel and shifting her gaze to the leader, Mahiro.
"100 Man-Slayer Bulat—earned his name by slaying 128 people in a single battle on the battlefield. His close-combat skills are likely below General Esdeath's but above Liver's."
Kurome calmly shared this information while munching on cookies.
She spoke as if recounting familiar facts.
The two long swords at her waist swayed gently with her movements.
"Lord Yotsuba, shall I cut him down for you?"
"Thank you, Kurome, but that won't be necessary."
Mahiro patted Kurome's head and said, "Teigu users aren't as easy to deal with as you might think, especially with Incursio. In close combat, he might not hold up against all of you attacking him, but if he tries to escape, none of you would be able to catch him. Besides, our main goal this time isn't to capture him but to observe. So, let's all just sit back and enjoy the show."
His words left everyone feeling somewhat disappointed.
They had been hoping to face a Teigu user in battle, but since it was Lord Yotsuba's order, they naturally wouldn't disobey.
At that moment, Mahiro's mind stirred, and under the influence of his psionic waves, his external form instantly transformed.
"This form... it's been a long time."
Mahiro stretched his limbs, having used "Parade" to assume the long-unused Silver Reaper form.
His silver hair fluttered in the wind, drawing looks of awe and admiration from the girls.
"Lord Yotsuba is amazing... It's like he's become a different person."
"Alright, let's begin the operation."
"Yes!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone sprang into action, taking their prearranged positions and hiding around the imperial palace.
...
Unaware that he was being watched like a monkey in a zoo by a group of assassins lurking in the shadows, Bulat continued to carry out his assassination mission.
The process went surprisingly smoothly.
Ogre, who had been on patrol, slipped into an alley to relieve himself. Seizing the opportunity, Bulat, hidden behind him, drew his Teigu-matched weapon—a large red spear called the Red Back Shrike—and pierced Ogre's chest on the spot.
With a sudden swing, Ogre was instantly torn in half, leaving no possibility of survival.
"Oh ho, as expected of Bulat. Much more decisive than Tatsumi."
Mahiro stood atop the high wall of the alley, looking down at the situation below while occasionally offering commentary.
And his eyes now flashed with a sharp gleam.
[Initiate Analysis—]
Mahiro was somewhat surprised. When analyzing other Teigu, it took at most a few seconds, but analyzing Incursio actually required some extra time!
Should it really be called the Teigu used by the protagonist?!
So unique!
However, just then, Bulat below seemed to have noticed his gaze and suddenly looked up, shouting:
"Who's there?!"
But what he saw was a dangerous presence with flowing silver hair and crimson pupils—a figure resembling the god of death under the moonlight!
"Oh, discovered already? In that case, I'll play with you."
Mahiro grinned, then abruptly stepped off, leaping down from the high wall.
"So fast!"
Inside his armor, Bulat's pupils contracted sharply. Instinctively, he raised his Red Back Shrike to counter the attack.
But then.
Rip!
A piece of the armor on his chest was brutally torn away!
Fortunately, Incursio had a self-repair function, and the damaged part was restored to its original state in the blink of an eye.
"Quite interesting."
Mahiro weighed the armor fragment in his hand, then, seeing the opponent's armor had already repaired itself, tossed the fragment into his ring.
Though it was just a fragment, it held significant research value.
However, what Mahiro didn't expect was that the other party showed no intention to fight back. Instead, he activated his invisibility and immediately turned to flee.
"Do you really think you can escape?!"
Without another word, Mahiro's figure instantly blurred.
In his invisible state, Bulat only felt a fierce gust of wind suddenly rush at his back, followed by an uncontrollable forward tumble.
Boom!
With a loud crash, he was slammed into the ground, the smooth bluestone brick surface instantly covered in dense, terrifying cracks!
The pain came belatedly.
The immense force felt like a mountain pressing down on him.
Every muscle and bone in his body creaked and groaned under the strain.
Just who is this guy?!
Bulat barely managed to turn his head, only to see a pair of crimson eyes gleaming with icy coldness!
Like a baleful star reflecting the night sky!
Then, he could no longer hold on and completely lost consciousness.
The Teigu Incursio was special—it possessed an evolutionary nature, but it also placed high demands on the user's physical body.
Suddenly subjected to such a powerful blow, even with its evolutionary capabilities, it couldn't adapt in time.
"So fragile?"
Mahiro scratched his head in puzzlement, slowly lifting his foot. He had only used an acceleration spell and exerted less than half his strength.
And yet, he passed out just like that?
Unbeknownst to him, the fact that Bulat wasn't instantly killed by that kick was only due to the sturdiness of both the Teigu and his body.
If it were anyone else, even the Four Rakshasa Demons wouldn't dare to take it head-on.
The only one who could withstand it would probably be that woman, Esdeath.
But Mahiro didn't dwell on it any further. He simply scooped up Bulat and left the place.
The news of Ogre, the captain of the security team's death, quickly spread.
Seryu wept bitterly, but when she learned of Ogre's misdeeds, her sorrow only deepened!
She never expected that the mentor she respected the most, Captain Ogre, had committed so many evil deeds behind her back!
Meanwhile, grief also filled the Night Raid headquarters.
The meeting room was enveloped in a heavy silence.
"Boss, are you serious? Bulat... has really gone missing?"
No one could believe it.
That Bulat had vanished overnight, along with his Teigu!
But Najenda nodded and confirmed:
"It's true. Ogre's death is now widely known throughout the Imperial City, but Bulat's whereabouts remain unknown."
Suddenly, Najenda thought of a possibility and immediately looked up at the equally sorrowful purple-haired girl, asking, "Sheele, did Mahiro make any moves last night?"
"No," Sheele shook her head. "Mr. Yotsuba stayed in his mansion all night and didn't go out."
If it wasn't him, then who else could have accomplished such a thing?
Najenda fell silent.
But after a moment, she sighed helplessly and said:
"I will report this matter to the Revolutionary Army headquarters. However, if we continue our operations, we no longer have enough personnel. I will request some reinforcements from headquarters."
Though grieving, Najenda had no time to dwell on her sorrow.
As assassins, such an outcome was inevitable. She could only carry on with the will of those who came before, striving to reach the shore of hope in the end!