Setting aside Hysilens's little interlude for now, the most important matter was with Caesar. After all, she was currently clashing with the'strongest enemy' from the original work!
But upon closer inspection, one would notice a problem...
This person wasn't being serious at all!
Although it looked like she was trading blows evenly with this shorty, Esdeath, having witnessed that terrifying killing intent earlier, naturally couldn't believe this was the opponent's full strength.
But even knowing this, what could she do?
The current Esdeath wasn't as powerful as her future self; she was just a girl in her early teens. Without even an Ice Teigu, she was naturally no match for Caesar, but that didn't mean Esdeath would just sit and wait for death.
On the contrary, the girl intended to take the initiative!
Escape... that had clearly become impossible. Esdeath had already seen the opponent's unreasonable ability to build a high wall in an instant to block her path, and her ability to charge straight through the snow to force her out.
This abnormal power was clearly not something an ordinary human could possess. If they went head-to-head, Esdeath felt she had no chance of winning... but the opponent's attitude gave her a sliver of hope.
Because Esdeath had noticed that ever since the opponent saw her face, all killing intent had vanished from the field.
What Esdeath needed to do was exploit this underestimation to get close, then plunge the sharp dagger in her bosom into the opponent's chest!
Easier said than done. Even when Esdeath increased her speed and used assassination techniques, she still couldn't gain the upper hand; her moves were easily neutralized.
"Your combat techniques don't look like they've been systematically trained at all, but rather like things you've accumulated yourself... Do you live here?"
On the other side, after testing Esdeath's strength a bit, Cerydra had no intention of killing her. After all, this was Esdeath; bringing her under her command was clearly better than killing her.
In the original akame ga kill, Esdeath mostly appeared as an Imperial General and never changed her stance until her death.
Though influenced by other factors, Esdeath was a loyal character. If she could be pulled into her own camp before she fully matured, she would definitely be a formidable general!
So Caesar spoke, questioning Esdeath about her current situation during the fight while also estimating the timeline of this world.
"Ugh! I do live here alone. Why are you asking?"
Blocking Caesar's attack with some difficulty, Esdeath's expression was extremely solemn. Even if Caesar wasn't taking the fight seriously, the probability of her killing the opponent was still pitifully small.
Alone?
Hearing this, Cerydra paused for a moment as if thinking of something, then asked, "According to my knowledge, there aren't many tribes living in the snow. The Baltus Clan seems to be one of them. Are you a member of the Baltus Clan?"
"Yes! I am the last of the Baltus Clan. Everyone else is dead!"
Hearing the familiar clan name, Esdeath clearly showed a look of surprise, but it only lasted for an instant. Her tone and the dagger in her hand didn't falter for a second.
However, just as the dagger was about to pierce the opponent's vital point, a small hand entered Esdeath's vision, blocking her attack in an incredible manner.
Cerydra didn't use her scepter or her powers as the Demigod of Law. Relying solely on her physical attributes, she caught the thrusting dagger between two fingers.
This scene made Esdeath's eyes widen. Having lived in the snow for so long, this was the first time she had seen someone block her attack in such a way.
It also made Esdeath deeply realize that the person before her was on a completely different level. Even if she used all her strength, in the opponent's eyes, she was merely meat ready for slaughter.
But even if she was inferior in strength, Esdeath intended to fight to the end. However, Caesar's voice reached her ears at that moment, causing her movements to stop completely.
"What a pity."
There wasn't a hint of pity in her tone; rather, it was a profound regret for Esdeath's current situation.
"You possess such amazing combat talent, yet you're huddled in this snowy wasteland, unable to fully realize it... What a pity!"
From Esdeath's brief words, Cerydra judged the current timeline of akame ga kill.
Esdeath's clan had already perished, leaving her as the sole survivor. In a few years, she would be recruited by the Empire and become the most powerful woman in the series.
But that future would no longer happen!
I will take her under my command!
"Then you tell me, what should I do?"
Esdeath, who had intended to fight to the end, seemed to realize Cerydra's intention. She directly let go of the dagger and stood before the opponent as if nothing had happened, looking down at her.
Esdeath had done everything she could. If this fight continued, her end would undoubtedly be death.
After all, she couldn't even defeat the person in front of her who was shorter than her. If that black-haired person in the distance were added, wouldn't she have even less of a chance?
So, compared to the outcome of death, Esdeath made a calculation.
Despite it being a serious battle, this shorty kept talking and communicating with her, which clearly proved the opponent had no intention of killing her.
Moreover, when the opponent said the word 'pity,' Esdeath's body visibly trembled.
What kind of person would feel pity?
Although Esdeath had lived in the snow since childhood, it didn't mean she was stupid. On the contrary, she was very clever. Just by hearing the opponent's tone, she could vaguely guess their thoughts.
So she chose to drop her weapon and engage in a friendly negotiation with these people... Although they had just been at each other's throats, neither side had drawn blood, so it could be called friendly, right?
Upon receiving Esdeath's response, a smile finally appeared on Cerydra's face. She released the fingers holding the dagger, letting the sharp blade fall to the ground.
Then, the petite Empress gripped her scepter and pointed it directly at Esdeath's face.
"Join my command!"