Chapter 88: Level 6 Dominator!

Nanashi accepted Esdeath's challenge.

In their last battle, Esdeath had tried to overpower Nanashi with her stamina.

But against Nanashi, her attempt was futile.

Against him flowing with energy, she was defeated after many rounds.

This time, however—

At least she could fight for a few rounds.

Esdeath, with her emotions restored, fought fiercely, attacking relentlessly.

But the outcome was already set in stone.

She wants to dominate him but Nanashi had no intention of yielding.

Using his overwhelming power, he crushed her completely.

And the Six Styles—finally, they had found their use in combat.

His ability had now reached the level of complete mastery, meaning a Lv4 was his current limit in B-rank ability enhancement.

But true mastery of the Six Styles led to the next stage—Life Return.

With it, one could control every inch of muscle in their body with absolute precision.

Pairing the refined Six Styles with the raw energy of Gluttony, Nanashi was invincible in battle.

And just like a person overfed to the point of discomfort—

Esdeath began to feel overwhelmed.

A creeping sense of powerlessness settled in—one that reminded her of the moment she realized Mokapotmo was ineffective.

In the end, the battle's conclusion was… ambiguous.

Neither side claimed an obvious victory, yet the fight had reached its end.

But before Nanashi could even process it—

Kanae appeared.

She had lost herself under Nanashi's influence.

And only he could take her away.

So a new battle began.

The Next Evening

By the time everything was over, the sun had already set on the following day.

As for Esdeath?

Hah… poor thing. Weak and helpless.

Stepping out of the palace, Nanashi took a moment to reflect on Esdeath's abilities.

He wanted to take back what he had said before.

Esdeath's ability…

It was strong.

No—perfect.

Ice—

Cold and sharp—

But also refreshing.

That thought led him to another.

Yukino also has ice powers, doesn't she?

Would she be able to use them as effectively as Esdeath?

If he ever got the chance to have Yukino, he would definitely put that theory to the test.

Though realistically… the chances were low.

Someone like Yukino wasn't the type to accept sharing like Megumi did.

He shook his head.

That was a thought for another time.

For now—

He contacted March 7th and the others in the group.

They were currently holed up in an abandoned house.

Night Raid was still considered a highly dangerous group of wanted criminals.

Even in the current chaos of the Imperial Capital, exposing themselves carelessly would be unwise.

And indeed, the city was in chaos.

Many had died.

Many nobles had fallen.

Rumors were spreading—

Someone had even threatened the safety of the young emperor.

It had taken General Budo himself to suppress the rebellion.

Finding the location March 7th had mentioned, Nanashi teleported directly inside.

What he saw—

A group of people standing around a girl tied up on the ground.

She had short black hair and deep black eyes.

In front of her stood Akame, sadness in her gaze.

"Nanashi! You're here."

March 7th was the first to notice his arrival.

"Where's Esdeath?"

She looked around, but there was no sign of her.

Nanashi coughed twice. "Ahem. She was seriously injured. She's recovering."

March 7th sighed and shook her head.

"Sigh… We're all supposed to be companions. Why do you have to be so harsh?"

"Can't blame me. She's just too stubborn."

Their conversation made the others feel… strange.

Though they were talking about different things, every sentence seemed to hit the mark.

Trying to change the subject, Nanashi pointed at the tied-up girl on the ground.

"So… what's going on here? Why is she tied up?"

"Apparently, she's Akame's little sister," explained March 7th. "We found her on the streets today. She called herself a 'Jaeger,' but she looks just like an ordinary person. She doesn't have any beast-like traits, unlike Honghong."

"Sister March, I'm a fox demon, not a beast," Tushan Honghong corrected.

Ignoring their banter, Nanashi eyed the captured girl.

Kurome, Akame's younger sister.

He knew her story well.

When she and Akame were children, they had been sold to the Empire and forced into the Assassin Training Institute but something is not right…

And from the way Kurome narrowed her sickly eyes, it was clear she recognized Akame—

But not Nanashi or the others.

Still, she was well aware of the members of Night Raid.

"I never expected you to surround yourself with so many dangerous people, Onee-chan," Kurome said, voice laced with quiet malice. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Akame lowered her head, shadows hiding her face.

Her heart ached.

Her sister had taken a completely different path from her own.

Najenda placed a reassuring hand on Akame's shoulder.

Then, without a word, she and the rest of Night Raid left, leaving Akame to deal with her sister alone.

"Ahh… Why do things always turn out like this between sisters?"

Nami sighed.

Having experienced her own struggles with Nojiko, she could understand the pain all too well.

Honghong, who also had a younger sister, shared that sentiment.

Nanashi glanced at Kurome.

Her body had been severely eroded by the effects of the Empire's drugs.

The damage was extensive.

And yet—

Despite everything—

She still stood before them, unwavering.

"Her body is failing."

"What do you mean?" March 7th tilted her head in confusion.

Nanashi flicked her forehead lightly and sighed. "To put it simply—she's going to die. Little March, your brain really isn't very sharp."

"Huh?!"

She turned to stare at the black-eyed girl on the ground.

Aside from looking a little thin, she seemed perfectly normal.

"How can someone be dying when they look fine?"

On the surface, there were no visible injuries.

But internally—her body was deteriorating, irreversible damage caused by the Empire's drugs.

It seemed she hadn't been selected as one of the Elite Seven. Instead, she had been injected with experimental drugs to forcibly enhance her abilities.

The price? Severe physical strain.

And an overwhelming dependence on those drugs—requiring regular doses just to stay alive.

He doesn't know what happened but it seems the plot is not following the plot…

Kurome's gaze remained locked on the group.

None of them were known criminals.

But anyone associating with the Night Raid was a dangerous element.

Upon hearing Nanashi's words, Akame's crimson eyes flickered with emotion. She couldn't stop herself from asking, "Mr. Nanashi, is there a way to save Kurome?"

"There is."

His response was casual, as if it wasn't a big deal.

Because for him—it wasn't.

Using vector manipulation, he could extract the drugs from her body with ease.

As for healing…

That was simple too.

The fel energy he had absorbed through Gluttony had been purified, converting into a massive reservoir of primordial energy.

During his exchange with Esdeath, he had further experimented with the effects of this primordial energy.

The results:

First—Strengthening.

Strengthening objects, enhancing the body.

Second—Healing.

Restoring injuries, replenishing energy.

For a case like Kurome's, the amount of primordial energy required was negligible.

Upon receiving his answer, Akame's heart surged with hope.

She immediately bowed deeply to Nanashi. "Please… save Kurome! I'm willing to do anything!"

"Onee-chan?"

Kurome, still on the ground, looked at Akame in disbelief.

Her sister—who had abandoned the right path—was now bowing to someone for her sake?

"Anything you're willing to do?"

Nami's expression turned strange.

Why did this sound so familiar?

Hadn't she said something similar before?

Before anyone could overthink it, Nanashi simply shrugged.

"Alright. I accept."

No hesitation.

It was another free job, and he had no reason to refuse.

Before Akame could even process his words, Nanashi had already stepped forward, towering over Kurome.

A calm smile curved his lips, his voice like a gentle breeze.

"If I save you—your sister belongs to me."

"You…!"

Kurome was about to curse—

But before she could say a word—

A piercing pain shot through her body.

Her drug-corroded system was riddled with damage, far too fragile.

Forcing the tainted substance through her veins and flesh, even with careful manipulation, still caused her immense suffering.

"AHHHHH!!!"

She screamed, writhing in agony.

"Kurome!"

Akame rushed to her side, red eyes glistening with tears as she grasped her sister's trembling hand.

The commotion drew the attention of the others outside.

Hearing the screams, the members of Night Raid rushed in.

But no one dared interrupt.

They could only watch as Nanashi worked his magic.

"It will only hurt for a moment. Don't panic."

As he spoke, black liquid seeped through Kurome's skin.

A concentrated mass of expelled toxins.

Casually, Nanashi flicked it onto the ground.

Then, without pause, he pressed his palm against her lower abdomen.

A faint golden light radiated from his hand.

"Mmm…!"

The pain on Kurome's face gradually softened.

The agony faded—replaced by warmth.

For the first time—

She felt something gentle.

Whenever she took the Empire's drugs, her body was consumed by ice-cold agony.

But this…

This was light.

This was peace.

This was warmth.

For the first time in her life—

She wasn't suffering.

As the golden glow dimmed, Kurome's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Her eyes slowly opened.

And the warmth was fading.

"No… don't go…"

She murmured weakly, gripping Nanashi's hand, unwilling to let go.

"…"

Akame blinked, staring at Nanashi, as if confused.

He sighed. "Don't look at me like that. I've already healed her. She's the one clinging to me."

Hearing this, Akame immediately turned to her sister.

"Kurome, how do you feel?"

Kurome hesitated, then carefully flexed her fingers, testing her body.

"It's so… light."

She pressed a hand to her chest.

"I've never felt this light before…"

A genuine smile spread across Akame's face.

"That's good."

Kurome froze.

That smile—

So clear, so warm—

Like a spring breeze washing over her entire being.

She felt it.

Her sister's love.

It was real.

For the first time, doubt crept into her heart.

Was I… wrong?

Nanashi turned to Najenda, casually waving his hand with a smirk.

"Najenda, your Akame belongs to me now."

"What did you do to her?"

At his words, Mine immediately whipped out Pumpkin, her massive sniper rifle, eyes blazing with fury.

She couldn't stand by while one of her comrades was threatened.

"Mine!"

Najenda quickly intervened.

She knew exactly who they were dealing with.

That man—

The one who even Esdeath had submitted to.

"…"

Mine, though shouted at, gritted her teeth and reluctantly lowered her Imperial Arm.

However, her sharp gaze remained locked onto Nanashi, filled with anger and distrust.

"It was my own decision."

Akame stood up, her expression heavy with guilt.

"I made this choice in exchange for saving Kurome's life. From now on, whatever Mr. Nanashi asks of me, I will do. Everyone… I'm sorry."

"Akame…"

The members of Night Raid looked at her with complicated expressions.

It was a choice she had made for her sister.

This could not be considered betrayal.

They had always respected each other's choices in Night Raid. This would be no different.

"Sister…"

Kurome clenched her fists, her voice trembling.

"If possible… I'd rather take my sister's place."

Now fully healed, she slowly sat up, her tone laced with pleading.

Nanashi glanced at the two sisters, both willing to sacrifice for the other.

A smirk played on his lips as he teased, "How about both of you come with me instead?"

"I have to say, the treatment is quite good. If you leave with me, you'll have plenty to eat and drink—much better than struggling here. There's a lot you wouldn't have access to otherwise."

"I know what this is!"

March 7th suddenly shouted excitedly.

"Sisters working together! Their strength is invincible!"

She nodded to herself, satisfied. Hmph, March 7th is well-read and cultured!

Tushan Honghong tilted her head, looking adorably confused.

"Sister March, wasn't it 'Brothers United'?"

"Oh, w-well…"

March 7th's gaze darted around, her cheeks flushing pink.

"Honghong must have misremembered!"

Red eyes met black.

They understood.

One of them had to fulfill the promise—there was no other way.

If one left, the other's purpose would lose meaning.

Putting aside their past grudges, both sisters nodded simultaneously.

"Good."

Nanashi's smirk widened in satisfaction.

"Then I'll have to trouble you both. This is the only way I can take you from here."

With a casual wave of his hand, the ropes binding Kurome snapped apart, granting her freedom.

He closed his eyes briefly—

And when they reopened—

His pupils gleamed with golden starlight.

Archon's strength was no longer at the Lv5 level.

Now, after spending 500,000 Doomsday Points—

It had evolved to Lv6.

At first, he had thought that achieving Lv5 would grant him Bankai.

But it wasn't until Lv6 that he finally unlocked it.

And its effects—

They were beyond absurd.

Absolute control.

A power that made the impossible—possible.

Why do birds fly?

Because they have wings.

Why don't stones fly?

No.

Under his control—they must fly.

Of course, it wasn't about breaking the fundamental rules of reality.

Domination didn't simply make a stone fly.

It commanded the stone to do so.

And what actually moved it were the forces acting upon it—gravity, air currents, and energy—bending to his will.

For example—

If he commanded a corpse to rise, he wasn't directly reanimating it.

Instead, his power manipulated the fundamental forces governing life, energy, and the soul—forcing them to obey.

In simpler terms—

Once he activated Bankai, his body no longer simply wielded power.

It governed everything.

Giving a command meant allowing reality itself to fulfill his will autonomously.

Not enough to bring back the dead—yet.

But soon…

It would be.