Chapter 407 - The Turmoil of the Capital

Outside of Night Raid's compound, three figures balanced on the thin wires of Cross Tail, where previously only two had stood. Indeed, Wood and Lubbock had finally allowed Tatsumi to join them in their so-called "death training."

After Tatsumi had sworn various oaths and refused to back down, Lubbock felt that continuing to refuse would jeopardize the camaraderie among teammates. Besides, they didn't have much time left to hesitate anyway.

As Tatsumi jumped onto the wire, he kept Wood's earlier words in mind, suppressing his presence as much as possible. He also reminded himself that no matter what happened next, he couldn't make a sound.

"Splash!"

The sound of water echoed from the bath below the wall, and Wood and Lubbock, timing it just right, peeked over. What greeted their eyes was an expanse of white—the shimmering skin of four bathing women.

Leone and Akame were impressive to behold, Sheele wasn't too far behind, and Mine... had very little to look at.

Despite all the preparation Tatsumi had made, the sight still overwhelmed him. His brain seemed to crash instantly. In his panic, the carefully hidden presence he maintained slipped out, and his startled movements made a noise.

Almost immediately, Wood leaped off the wall. With incredible speed, he employed the Six Powers technique "Soru" and "Geppo," disappearing into the bamboo grove in an instant.

Seeing Wood vanish without hesitation, Lubbock quickly reacted as well. He tried to use the Cross Tail wires as a pendulum to swing away from the wall. Unfortunately for him, before he could escape, the wire anchored to the bamboo was cut by a sudden beam of energy.

No need to guess—the one who had fired the shot was Mine. Now wrapped in a bath towel and wielding her imperial weapon, Pumpkin.

With the Cross Tail wires cut, Lubbock dropped unceremoniously to the ground. As he looked up, he found himself staring at Sheele, who had her enormous pair of scissors, "Extase," pointed at his neck.

As for Tatsumi, he was still stuck on the wall, frozen in place. Akame was standing before him, her sheathed sword resting against his neck, her gaze cold and piercing. Clearly, Tatsumi had not yet recovered from what had just happened.

Minutes later, in the Night Raid meeting hall, two boys—one with green hair and the other with brown—knelt on the floor, performing a full dogeza, bowing low.

"You two are really something. Sneaking a peek at us bathing? Looks like you don't need your heads anymore, huh? And you, the newbie! I was just starting to recognize you after the last mission, but now you're learning the worst habits—following this pervert Lubbock to spy on us?"

Among the four women present, Akame was cold and expressionless. She rarely spoke, preferring actions over words. Sheele, a timid soul, stood quietly behind Mine, her scissors ready to serve as a deterrent if necessary. As for Leone, she was her usual easy-going self, entirely unconcerned about being seen naked. In short, Mine was the only one putting on the pressure, venting her anger.

"We weren't even looking at your flat chest..."

Before Lubbock could finish, his voice was cut off. Or rather, a large barrel was shoved into his mouth. It was the barrel of Pumpkin, and Mine's finger rested threateningly on the trigger.

Both Lubbock and Tatsumi were covered in bruises. Lubbock didn't doubt that if he said anything else to provoke Mine, the next thing he tasted would be a laser beam through his skull. He wisely decided to shut up.

"I'm giving you one last chance. Was there anyone else involved besides you two?"

Mine jabbed Pumpkin into Lubbock's mouth for emphasis, her finger tapping on the trigger. Sheele's Extase hovered close to Tatsumi's face, making him feel a chill run down his spine.

Thinking only of saving himself, Lubbock almost ratted out Wood but stopped when he saw Tatsumi repeatedly shaking his head, indicating that they were the only ones involved.

Seeing Tatsumi's insistence, Lubbock remembered their earlier agreement: no matter what happened, they wouldn't give up their accomplice. As much as he hated to admit it, he respected Tatsumi's sense of loyalty. Reluctantly, Lubbock shook his head.

"I think it's just them," Sheele chimed in. "Bulat's only interested in training and muscles. Besides, I don't think he'd be into women in this way. As for Wood, I trust him. I don't think he'd do something like this."

Akame nodded in agreement, and even Mine, after a moment's thought, had to agree. There were few men in Night Raid, and none of them, apart from Lubbock and Tatsumi, were particularly suspicious.

Bulat was out of the question; everyone knew he only cared about strength and training. As for Wood, his reputation among Night Raid was quite solid. Akame, for one, respected his strength and knew of his heroics from Najenda, especially the times he stayed behind to cover their retreats. Mine respected Wood for saving her during a particularly dangerous mission. Sheele owed him her life after he had saved her from pursuing soldiers and later recruited her to Night Raid.

Overall, many in Night Raid had benefited from Wood's heroics, making his reputation within the group rather formidable. Still, there were those who knew better—Lubbock, who had grown up with Wood, and Leone, his drinking buddy.

Lubbock knew Wood well. Though he was undeniably strong and charismatic, Wood was still very much a scoundrel, the same type as himself. Lubbock remembered that it was Wood who had suggested this "mission" in the first place, and it was Wood's claim that even Najenda might be present that had tempted him to join.

Leone, too, had experienced Wood's antics first-hand; she knew well how he acted when drunk.

Then there was Tatsumi. The poor guy still harbored illusions about Wood, thinking their "training" had been a legitimate exercise. He believed he had been caught only because he couldn't hide his presence well enough.

Ultimately, the decision on Lubbock and Tatsumi's punishment was made. As fellow members of Night Raid, execution was off the table, but some retribution was still in order. Lubbock, deemed the mastermind, was assigned all the dirty chores for the next month. Tatsumi, meanwhile, would act as a slave for Mine and the others for an entire day, catering to their every whim without complaint.

The capital was in chaos. Recently, a group known as Night Raid had emerged and assassinated Captain Ogre of the Imperial Guard. Not long after, they killed the prime minister's relative, Hoyin, and the notorious imperial weapon wielder, Zanku the Executioner, as well as two of the minister's dogs.

Because of all the recent deaths, particularly those involving notable figures, Night Raid had quickly gone from an obscure name to one that struck terror throughout the capital. Not just the common people, but even high-ranking officials and nobles feared this mysterious group of assassins.

The Imperial government tried its best to portray Night Raid as evil, but anyone with eyes could see the truth—the people Night Raid targeted were all corrupt individuals. The nobles and bureaucrats of the capital, especially those in the prime minister's faction, were terrified. They feared that Night Raid could target them next, especially those who had dirtied their hands and feared retribution.

"Minister Honest, we cannot go on like this. If we let these assassins run amok any longer, we'll lose our supporters one by one. I have it on good authority that two of our own have already fled the capital with their families and wealth," one noble, looking distressed, spoke out.

They were gathered in a dark, lavish hall, filled with men in silk and velvet robes, their bellies bulging with opulence. At the head of the room sat a giant of a man, his age showing in his graying hair and beard. He was Minister Honest, the one who wielded the true power in the Empire—the very person whom Night Raid had marked as their ultimate target.

Minister Honest listened as the nobles voiced their concerns, all the while eating from an oversized slice of pizza, not bothering to hide his indifference.

After the death of the previous emperor, Honest had been left in charge as regent for the young prince. But Honest was no altruistic guardian; he was a man of incredible cunning and malice. The young prince trusted Honest implicitly, to the point where he wouldn't make a single decision without consulting him. In truth, Honest was the one running the Empire, the young emperor nothing more than a puppet.

The question was often raised—why didn't Honest simply get rid of the emperor and take the throne himself? The answer was simple: Honest was shrewd and calculating. Installing himself as emperor would invite the ire of loyalists like General Budo and others in the royalist faction. It was easier to let the emperor remain as a figurehead while Honest held the true power. It allowed him to wield authority without becoming a direct target.

"Minister, you must do something..."

"BAM!"

One of the nobles raised his voice, frustration seeping in. But before he could finish, Honest grabbed the back of his head, slamming it down onto the table with an audible crack.

"The one thing I hate more than anything," Honest growled, "is someone interrupting me while I'm eating!"

He looked around the room, his eyes cold and calculating. "A few assassins have you quaking in your boots? I've already got word that Esdeath is returning from the borders soon. When she arrives, I'll have the emperor order her to deal with these pests called Night Raid."

The nobles fell silent, too afraid to meet Honest's gaze. As the minister left the room, whispers broke out among those gathered.

"Esdeath is coming back? That's perfect! With her strength, Night Raid doesn't stand a chance. She'll wipe them out without breaking a sweat."

Esdeath's reputation preceded her—known throughout the Empire as its strongest warrior. Even Minister Honest had to treat her with respect, as her power and popularity far outstripped his. She was the Empire's mightiest weapon, and as long as she had no ambitions for the throne, Honest saw her as the perfect tool to crush any and all opposition.