93: Handling the Teigu

After slaying Zanku, Haruki walked slowly to the corpse. He reached out his hand, and a small orb, resembling an eyeball, flew straight into his palm—it was Zanku's Teigu, the Almighty Five Sights: Spectator.

Holding the Teigu, Haruki approached Akame.

Her face still bore faint traces of tears from the illusion she had just endured.

"Akame, I told you before—if you ever feel like you've been deceived, misled, you can always come back to me. This is your home. Your family is here. You'll always be my woman."

Haruki spoke calmly.

"Tatsumi, right? Let me make something clear. Akame is mine. Don't get any ideas, or you'll end up just like Zanku. You know I can make it happen."

After finishing with Akame, Haruki turned and spoke to the newly-recovered Tatsumi.

Startled, Tatsumi quickly nodded, not daring to offer even a hint of protest.

"Kurome, let's go."

Satisfied, Haruki glanced at Kurome.

But just as he turned to leave with her, Akame spoke up again.

"Wait... could you leave that Teigu with us?"

"Don't even think about it, Sister! Don't you think you're going too far? Are you planning to bring this Teigu back to the Revolutionary Army so they can use it against Brother later? Huh?"

Kurome exploded, shouting at Akame in fury.

"Kurome, calm down. Do you really think a mere Teigu could affect me? You have to trust your brother."

Haruki reassured her gently.

"But she's still going too far..."

Kurome grumbled, still fuming.

"It's fine. I know what I'm doing."

Haruki turned back to Akame.

"You want to give the Teigu to that guy, Tatsumi?"

"Yes. But don't get the wrong idea—I just want him to have something to protect himself. That's all. We're just companions."

Akame answered honestly, then quickly clarified her relationship with Tatsumi, afraid Haruki might misunderstand.

"Relax. I know what's going on between you two. If it were anything more, do you think he'd still be standing there? I'll give him a shot—but that's it. If it doesn't work out, I won't let you take this thing back to the Revolutionary Army. I know one of Night Raid's missions is collecting Teigu for them."

Haruki replied bluntly.

"That's more than enough."

Akame nodded.

After what she'd experienced in the illusion, her feelings toward the Revolutionary Army had grown distant. Right now, her only concern was the people around her.

"Tatsumi, come here and see if you can use this Teigu."

Akame called out to him.

"Okay!"

Tatsumi hurried over, his excitement barely contained.

Ever since learning about the Almighty Five Sights: Spectator and its abilities, he had been eager to try it for himself.

He caught the Teigu as Haruki tossed it over, holding it carefully, almost reverently, like he was afraid of damaging it.

But the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

The moment he grasped it, a wave of rejection surged through him.

Still, Tatsumi didn't want to give up on this rare chance to obtain a Teigu. He poured all his effort into trying to synchronize with the Almighty Five Sights: Spectator.

But Teigu, forged from the remains of Super-Class Danger Beasts, often possessed a will of their own. Sensing that an unrecognized human was trying to forcefully claim it, the Teigu suddenly unleashed a fierce burst of spiritual pressure, slamming directly into Tatsumi.

"Thud!"

The impact knocked Tatsumi out cold, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Tatsumi!"

Akame cried out in shock and rushed over to help him.

"Too bad. Looks like the Teigu doesn't recognize him. Don't worry, Akame—he just forced it and got rejected. He'll wake up soon."

Haruki reached out, and the Teigu still gripped in Tatsumi's hand flew back to him. As he caught it, he calmly explained to Akame.

Hearing his words, Akame visibly relaxed. Remembering she was Haruki's woman, she didn't reach out to Tatsumi again.

"Come out already, you hiding over there. It's rude to spy on others."

Just then, Haruki turned toward a nearby patch of empty ground and called out.

"Haha, as expected of the Security Chief. I thought I was hidden well, but you still found me!"

A loud laugh echoed from the spot Haruki had addressed. Moments later, a figure clad in full armor appeared there.

"Bulat? When did you get here?"

Akame was surprised to see him and asked.

Judging by the ability to go invisible, it was clear the newcomer was Bulat, user of the Teigu Demon Armor: Incursio.

"Me? I arrived when Tatsumi was testing the Teigu. Since you two hadn't come out for a while, the others got worried and sent me to check. Didn't expect to run into the Security Minister himself."

As he spoke, Bulat picked up the unconscious Tatsumi, all the while keeping a cautious eye on Haruki.

He hadn't seen Haruki fight before, but Akame had told him plenty about his terrifying strength.

"Minister, I doubt that Teigu is any use to you. You know no one can wield two Teigu at once. Why not hand it over to the Revolutionary Army? That way, you can still do something for the people—and who knows, it might save your life one day."

Despite his caution, Bulat couldn't hide the greed in his eyes as he looked at the Teigu in Haruki's hand.

"Oh? Was that a threat?"

Haruki ignored the question and replied with one of his own.

"Bulat, enough…"

Akame quickly stepped in, sensing Haruki's rising anger.

"I already promised him—if Tatsumi can't use this Teigu, then the decision lies with the Security Minister."

She shot Bulat a look, urging him to back off. After seeing Haruki obliterate Zanku in an instant earlier, she was certain Bulat wouldn't stand a chance.

"I didn't mean it as a threat. It's just... someone as powerful as you could've wiped us out if you wanted. I thought that meant you still had some sympathy for the Revolutionary Army."

Catching Akame's signal, Bulat softened his tone.

"Don't kid yourself. I have no sympathy for the Revolutionary Army. I only happened to be with you Night Raid people. That doesn't mean I share your ideals. And as for the Teigu, like Akame said, I'll handle it myself."

Seeing Bulat ease off, Haruki didn't act further but replied coldly.

"Then... how do you plan to handle it?"

Bulat still wasn't ready to give up.

"Like you said, it's useless to me. And I have no intention of handing it back to the Empire. So I think it's best if it disappears. That works out better for all of us, doesn't it?"

With that, Haruki clenched the Teigu in his hand.

Crack... boom!

The sound of splintering metal rang out. In the next moment, with a thunderous bang, the ancient Teigu shattered completely—its thousand-year history ending in Haruki's grasp.

As the fragments fell from his hand, Bulat and Akame stood speechless.

Teigu were forged from materials like Super-Class Danger Beasts and Orichalcum, nearly indestructible. That's how they survived for centuries. Yet now, in Haruki's hand, it had been crushed like a bird's egg.

Akame took it in stride. After what she'd seen earlier, nothing about Haruki surprised her anymore. But for Bulat, this shattered everything he thought he knew. Maybe Haruki's power didn't just come from his Teigu—his own strength must be on another level entirely.

In contrast to their shock, Kurome—who already knew Haruki's true identity—remained calm.

"Kurome, let's go."

Haruki, satisfied with their reactions, turned and spoke to Akame.

"Wait."

Just as the two were about to leave, Akame called out again.

"If what you said really comes true... I'll listen to you."

She repeated.

Haruki didn't respond. But at her words, a faint smile curved at the corner of his lips. He picked up Kurome, and just like before, vanished from the scene in an instant.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

p@treon com / PinkSnake