Beta read by Shigiya and Paragon of Awesomeness
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-???-
Wave had seen many horrors during his time in the Imperial Navy. Many committed by horrid outlaws, others done by loyal Imperials out of necessity, and some he'd even performed himself.
From the isolated fringes of the Empire to the serene countryside, he had encountered every kind of depraved criminal imaginable. Murderers, rapists, cannibals, human traffickers — the list was endless. For a man who had grown up in a quiet fishing village, surrounded by the warmth of loving parents and the simplicity of a peaceful life, the sheer brutality of these encounters and the reality of what evils humanity was capable of had shaken him to his core. Yet, instead of breaking him, it had forged an unyielding resolve.
At that moment, he swore to himself that he would never allow such monsters to roam freely, especially not in the places where his loved ones resided.
For years, Wave had thrown himself into his work, tirelessly tracking down every criminal in his jurisdiction he could locate and bring them to justice. He demanded no recognition, no reward — the only compensation he required was the satisfaction of knowing he was making the world a safer place. His relentless efforts eventually caught the attention of his superiors, and he was granted the honor of wielding an Imperial Arm, a powerful tool that would aid him tremendously in his quest for a better world.
The successor to the Incursio prototype made from the Tyrant Danger Beast, the refined Grand Chariot.
But now, as he stood amidst the carnage of the bandit camp, doubt crept into his mind. 'Can I even create such a world, with people like this as my allies?'
The thought lingered as he surveyed the scene before him — an absolutely macabre sight enough to make even his stomach churn. What was supposed to be a straightforward raid, a joint operation with the former Wild Hunt who used to operate under the command of the dead or captured Syura, had swiftly devolved into a bloodbath. The bandits, though criminals, had been subjected to a level of brutality that made even Wave felt disturbed at seeing.
It wasn't the violence in itself that unnerved him — he was used to that — more so the unnecessary cruelty behind it all.
"No, no, no! Please make it stop! Save me, someone save me! I won't do it anymore!" One of the bandits, a man who had undoubtedly committed his share of atrocities, writhed on the ground, his body mutilated beyond recognition. Chunks of flesh were cleaved off, parts of his eye fluids streaming down his face amidst blood, yet horrifyingly his eyes were still wide with terror, and he'd already suffered too much blood loss for any chance at surviving even if he escaped.
His pleas were cut short as a katana sliced through his face and down the full length of his torso, cleaving it into grotesque sections that slid apart with a wet splurch. The blade's wielder, one of the former members of Wild Hunt, stood over the corpse, his expression one of bored indifference while munching on a piece of grass.
"Tch, starts off all big and loud, but ends up bawling over a scratch. Pathetic," Izou muttered, shaking the blood off his blade with a lazy flick. "At least Kousetsu got his fill today." He glanced down at the mangled bandit, the last of the bunch. "Gotta give this one credit, though—most croak after I nick a lung or two. This guy? Held on like a damn cockroach. Kind of respect that, in a way."
A man resembling a ronin more than a soldier from the outside. Izou wore a slightly worn black haori and a pair of wooden geta. Hard to imagine he fought all of these people with that last part.
Wave clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. "You could have just killed them immediately," he said, his voice low but laced with anger. He stepped forward, boots dripping within the sea of blood, confronting the man. "There was no point in torturing them like that. They were already defeated."
The man turned to him, his eyes narrowing as if noticing him for the first time. "Oh, it's you… What's your name again?"
An attempt to taunt him? Most likely, but Wave saw it as just another reason to keep his cool, especially when he felt Kurome staring at him from behind and waiting to take action if either of them stepped out of line.
"Why do you even care? We were instructed by General Esdeath to take care of the problem, and we did. There was never any mention of which method we should use. Besides, my sword was hungry, and she wanted to eat. This was as good an opportunity as any to give her a worthy feast." Izou yawned, sheathing his katana without bothering to clean the bloodstains. "Where are the others now? That bitch better not have gone off to have fun with some of the bandits just because she thought they were pretty."
Wave gritted his teeth. This guy wasn't going to get it, was he?
He had understood that Wild Hunt was meant to operate outside the bounds of most military units as soon as they'd said they were originally meant to operate as part of the secret police, but this was something else entirely. Their cruelty was not just a means to an end — it was a twisted form of entertainment. He glanced around the camp, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood and the stench of death that remained prominent even through Rubicante's flames. The bodies of the bandits lay scattered, their grotesque wounds and spilled guts telling stories of prolonged suffering.
"We are here to eliminate the danger, not have fun in their misery."
"You make it sound like we're the odds one out in this team, don't forget who your own allies are."
While he agreed that even his group did not consist of people that he was used to working with, Wave at least had confidence that most of them were professionals at their core, and did not take pleasure in killing their opponents to this kind of degree, which was certainly more than he could say about the former Wild Hunt. "No one part of the original Jaegers is excited to kill people for the sake of it or treat bloodshed as some kind of game. Your behavior makes you no different from the monsters we're trying to sto—gah!"
In the middle of his speech, the katana's sheath struck him in the solar plexus, robbing him of his breath for a brief moment. Wave was sent tumbling to the ground whilst glaring at the man in front of him.
"Do not speak to me in such a tone, brat. You are lucky that we are now both part of the same team, else I would have killed you for your disrespect just now."
"You are the one on our team, not the other way around! If you and the rest of your group don't learn to toe the line then our General will not be happy. Or did you already forget what happened to your pirate friend?" Wave shot back defiantly, speaking past his pain. Unfortunately, Izou chose to ignore him and walk away without a word.
"…"
Leaving him to watch carnage within the hold.
The entire area was filled with the bodies of bandits, for too many of whom had been slain in ways that reeked of sadistic indulgence, The entire area was soaked with blood, which when combined with the roaring flames of Bols' Teigu, made the fortress look, sound, and smell like a literal hellscape.
Many of the hostiles had blood burst from their ears the moment Cosmina used her Teigu, a sound that caused mass hysteria, and took care of most of them before the Jaegers had time to make a move. Their General did tell them to not go as hard today and see what this group was capable of which they followed.
Keeping his calm, he walked inside the hold and found other former members of Wild Hunt just sitting at a table with the one disguised as a clown letting out a tired sigh. Dorothea was also present and had the body of a bandit in hand, taking a bite of his neck and sucking off the blood. The entire figure of the person shriveled up and mummified within seconds before she casually threw it away. "What? Are you disappointed there are no kids around for you to fuck?"
Wave stopped in his tracks, stunned by what he just heard.
"You don't have to say it's so crudely like that, there are angels that need some comfort and joy in their lives. I just show them the way and they enjoy it."
"Yeah right, whatever floats your boat then." She said with a scarf before the girl saw him standing at the entrance and her prior expression turned back to that of an innocent girl. But the blood smeared on her face made it hard for him to fall back on her act anymore. "Oh, you're here! Have you come to check on me? How sweet, I should give you a reward next time."
It was unnerving how someone who spoke such words and also was in the midst of casually torturing and even consuming a bandit just now could change up her act so quickly.
"You're already going after him? That's not fair, I wanted to have a turn first!" Another voice came from down the hallway where Cosmina walked out with a bright expression, stretching her limbs which accentuated the curves of the body. "I finally got to relieve some stress, though I still feel kinda sad that we lost Enshin…"
A trace of sorrow sounded from her mouth, this being the only time he heard anyone who used to be from Wild Hunt any kind of genuine emotions over the loss of their comrade. The others didn't seem to particularly care at all.
"You all… " Wave was speechless, trying to find the proper way to word his emotions but unable to do so as he felt he would say something he shouldn't. "You are treating this like it's a vacation. We are here on official duty to take care of these bandits because they endangered the population. Not to have fun or play around with them like this…"
"I'm sorry you feel this way," Dorothea said soothingly, trying to caress his hair only for him to push her away. She frowned at first, but recuperated almost instantly, shrugging her shoulders. "You'll get used to it, we're very different from the soldiers you've worked alongside before. But in my opinion, that lets us be more efficient at getting the job done! In any case, we should be reporting back to General Esdeath. Let's go~! I can't wait to finally meet Dr. Stylish and see what he has to say about us working together~!"
Blonde girl said cheerfully before walking out the entrance whilst humming a cheerful tune. Champ and Cosmina followed along, the latter even throwing him a kiss at the end.
As they left, the hall became completely silent and Wave wondered if he should set fire to this place as a way to cremate the bodies and avoid any diseases from spreading. Perhaps Run could shed some light on that afterward, so he kept walking deeper within, checking in case they had not missed someone or something that could be of importance. Going from room to room until he reached the dungeon below filled with dozens of jail cells.
"Urgh!" As soon as he reached the lower levels and opened the door, a strong acrid stench assaulted his nose and overwhelmed his senses. A pungent scent of sweat caught his attention, picking his curiosity as he walked further within and reached a cell at the very end. "—!?"
His eyes widened and the man stared in disbelief at what appeared to be less than a handful of bandits lying on the ground without any clothing on them. The stench of sex, the sight of bodily fluids everywhere, and the foam coming out of their mouth as they struggled to breathe with several stab wounds on their stomach.
Unfortunately for him, he could imagine what happened here and be calling the person who appeared to have walked out of there when he first entered the place. It only served to make his blood boil with rage.
"Wave."
Jolted by another voice behind him along with a steady hand touching his shoulder, he turned to see Run who stood behind him with a darkened face. Looking at the same scene as he witnessed but without making any comment on it.
"We should leave, General Esdeath is waiting for us." was all he said before turning his back and walking away.
"Are we seriously having these kinds of people on our team? They are monsters."
Run stopped, a moment of silence passing after his statement until he heard the latter chuckle quietly before giving him a side glance. "Are we any different? As far as the others are concerned, they are soldiers of the Empire who have different means to get the same result. Morality has rarely been an important factor."
"…"
Wave hated how he agreed with those words to a certain extent, but the rest of him heavily objected to this. They were not the same.
"I understand. I can't stand them either." The venom in his voice caught Wave off guard—Run wasn't one to let his composure crack like that. "But do not worry. They'll get what's coming to them, and I'll be there to make sure of it."
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"You have done well, though your method blocked efficiency, it is mostly passable." A few minutes later, after the former members of Wild Hunt and the rest of the Jaegers gathered back at the main area, All of them faced their general to have been watching their actions the entire time while calmly sitting on a boulder. With Seryu returning as well with Koro covered in blood, though she was not smiling.
"While I did not expect much from you, given your leader was an incompetent fool, you performed better than I expected. At least Syura didn't did not give me his trash before dying." Esdeath held no mercy whatsoever for Syura, insulting him at any given opportunity which for the most part did not phase his former subordinates.
The only one who had a reaction was Cosmina, who frowned a bit but kept her silence. None of them had forgotten the consequences of going against Esdeath. What remained of Enshin's body still remained frozen in place just a few feet away from them, serving as a stern reminder of crossing her.
Her eyes went to stare at Wave, making him flinch at first. There was a lot he wanted to say, to object to the crude methods used by these human-shaped monsters, but the way she looked at him made it clear it was not his decision to make.
"All of you should remember, that I am the leader of this unit. And if you go against my will or behind my back, then you have broken my trust. That kind of betrayal will make you my enemy, which will make you an enemy of the Empire. All of you are dismissed, starting from tomorrow you will all be publicly recognized as members of the Jaegers and will be changing living quarters," she said briefly before leaving the group, heading towards a clearing in the distance where a small table, chair, and fresh pot of tea were already prepared for her.
A place from where she had been spectating the raid on the bandits the entire time. And there awaited two figures patiently, bowing as soon as they saw her approach. "Lady Esdeath." The first one to speak was a tall man with gray hair worn in a long thin ponytail, blue eyes, and a groomed mustache. He wore the standard black uniform given to every Beast in her personal bodyguard unit, and it suited his dignified appearance.
Daidara was also present, still having the same wild demeanor but it was always more subdued when he stood in front of her.
"I take it you were satisfied with the new recruits."
She sat down, having some tea which he poured for her meticulously. The fine aroma enveloped her senses, though it still lacked something she had not tasted for quite a few years.
Not that she could do anything about it.
"Passable, I didn't expect much of a group put together by Syura, I admit, but they have proven to not be completely incompetent. At least, after I disposed of the trash amongst them," she answered, taking a sip and holding herself from letting out a disappointed sigh. "There is only a single person amongst them who showed the potential to become a Beast. The rest of them do not even possess the proper mindset. At best, they will serve as a grindstone for the original Jaegers."
She was no fool, having taken notice of certain members' reactions to Wild Hunt's induction. There was clear animosity and a bad history somewhere which she wanted to use to hone their skills and make them stronger.
"How are the preparations for the execution coming along?"
Former General Liver twitched for a moment before he gained his composure and gave her a straight answer. "No issues so far, Prime Minister Honest has sent over the Royal Executioner to handle the job."
The Royal Executioner? From what she recalled, the man's favorite person for such an occasion had previously been Zank. But ever since his demise at the hands of Night Raid… or rather, after he went mad, another person had been appointed to his office. One whose task usually was to make a spectacle out of killing that fatass' enemies. For him to send someone like that over to assist, he obviously had his own motives, though she accepted it regardless.
"Excellent, that should prove sufficient enough."
She couldn't care less about some old woman who'd supposedly helped Emiya a time or two. The woman's existence barely registered on her radar. But that man? That was a different story. She knew damn well he still owed a debt to that person, one he hadn't settled yet.
"General… if I may," Liver spoke, waiting for permission to speak further to which she gestured at him to continue. "Are you sure this is necessary?"
"…Explain."
The old soldier steeled himself, visually taking a few moments to gather his thoughts and find a way to put into words what he wanted to say. "This execution… I… I understand your reasoning behind this, but I personally feel it would be better if you would let us handle this matter. We were meant to protect you, a duty which we failed and—"
"—Liver." She stopped him mid-speech, her smile shrinking slightly. "You are not capable of accomplishing the task you speak of, simple as that. I do not want another needless death of my best subordinates like Nyau."
"…"
Behind her back, the middle-aged man held a somber face, veins popping on his forehead and a clear defiance growing within his eyes. "I am and will always be loyal to you, my lady. If sacrificing my life has even the smallest smidgen of a chance to break the one obstacle in your life, then I will make that sacrifice with honor."
"Are you worried that I will die the next time we clash?" she asked.
He shook his head immediately, "Of course not, you have grown leaps and bounds compared to the past. There is no entity in this world capable of truly killing you, that I truly believe. But there shouldn't be any clash in the first place, we are your bodyguards and it is our duty to dispose of any obstacles in your way."
From the moment he was thrown in jail for fighting back against the corruption that festered in the Empire, to the day he met the woman before him — this had been his sole duty.
"Then tell me, does that mean you believe you hold the ability to kill him?"
Liver bower slightly, "I will admit that his arsenal is beyond anything I can conjure up even if I gathered all of my resources. But with enough planning and the proper approach, I do believe that I can achieve my goal even at the cost of my life."
"Pft-hahaha!"
She chuckled, the latter turning into a full-blown laugh that continued on for a good minute. Each passing moment was no different to torture to Liver who kept his stoic face.
"Oh my~! My, oh my~! I have been flattered by your sense of loyalty to my life, Liver. It's not like I don't see what you are trying to say, but forgive me for taking everything you have said as something funny." Esdeath commented, placing her cup on the table and looking at him. Her blue eyes shone with endless mirth and amusement. "You are strong, that much I am aware of — do not misunderstand that I think otherwise. But there are times where no matter how hard you try, the result will always be the same — you are not even his concern."
"…"
"I know that even if I order you to forget about this issue, that will not happen. So in the meantime, I have a mission for you, get this done to get your mind off this problem." She said, handing him over a letter with Honest's seal. Both Liver and Daidara nodded, saluting before leaving.
"Um… General Esdeath?" As she continued to ponder on her next plan, another voice came to her attention. Turning around to find Seryu awkwardly standing on the path where both Liver and Daidara used to leave, Koro held between her arms like a plushie.
She smiled at her subordinate's arrival. "Seryu, come, sit. Is there something I can help you with? It seems like you weren't in your usual state of self today, your performance was a bit lacking."
The girl flinched, looking downwards, her mood becoming worse. "I am sorry. I do not know what has come of me lately, I feel like that I have not only let down those around me but even myself."
"Is it because of your encounter with Emiya?"
"E-Emiya?" Seryu repeated that name with confusion, taking a few moments to connect the dots as she sat in front of Esdeath. Not daring to touch anything on the table while Koro tried to reach out for the snacks. "Oh, the one called Archer!"
Esdeath hummed, she supposed that people were going to be more familiar with that name instead.
"Now that I think about it, I never actually had the opportunity to ask about your conversation with him in the first place. Why was he interested in going so far to meet you of all people?" The woman leaned forward, her post proximity making the young girl shrink back while Koro went to hide within her clothes. "Since you came to see me directly, let's take the opportunity to discuss this matter."
"I-I… H-He was not there for me." She barely managed to get those words out of her mouth, feeling an almost suffocating pressure pressing upon her shoulders lesson slightly. "I-It was Ta-Tatsumi who wanted to see me! Archer was just accompanying him!"
Esdeath frowned, The revelation itself was not that big of a surprise and it certainly sounded like something he would do. As for this Tatsumi, she had read his name within the reports, one that appeared multiple times involving Zank's death, Ogre, and further mentions of being in some sort of corruption case. Did she believe all of these? No, only a fool would believe all of this without asking questions. She just did not care when it came to such little matters, leaving them to be handled by Honest or Liver at worst.
A former soldier who had a history with one of the Jaegers, having been recommended to join the army and even trained under her for a short while. Thinking about the matter allowed the woman to connect many dots and finally come to a realization.
"Aah… I see now, your declining performance and this state of yours is his doing, isn't it?" looking stunned at first, Seryu panicked for a brief moment before nodding her head slowly.
"He was my responsibility, I was the one who was supposed to guide him and make him become an exemplary soldier serving justice. Yet it was under my watch that he ended up betraying us, killed Ogre, and even tried to come back in order to get me to betray the Empire." At first, she spoke with but a whisper, but the longer she spoke the clearer and harsher her tone became. "I cannot accept this, I feel like no matter how hard I try my name, my reputation has been stained and I cannot truly call myself a proper protector of peace if I cannot handle my mistakes!"
Acute sentiment in Esdeath's opinion. The girl's loyalty was second to none. Though she was obviously naive and quite a bit gullible, she was not willing to ignore this matter for it could negatively affect someone who had a high chance of becoming one of her beasts.
"Then you wish to capture him, venture within the woods to find Night Raid's hidden base? Thinking that will be enough to clear your name."
"Yes!" Seryu exclaimed loudly with certainty in her eyes. "I have many people counting on me, from the normal citizens to even Dr Stylish who went so far as to give me these upgrades. I cannot afford to disappoint either of you, and I wish to become a perfect role model for others to follow in my footsteps. But for that, I need to take care of Tatsumi first!"
An idea came to Esdeath's mind.
"How about this, since that boy was last seen hanging around Archer, then there is a possibility that particular duo might appear again in the future. So, I will give you an important task. Are you up for it?"
"I am!"
"Good. Then Seryu, are you willing to help oversee the upcoming execution?"
{Break}
-Night Raid Hideout-
The dense forest surrounding Night Raid's hideout was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and local wildlife. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and pine. Two figures lay sprawled on the soft grass beneath the canopy, their breaths heavy but steady. Above them, the sky was a patchwork of twilight hues, the first stars beginning to peek through the fading daylight.
"Hah… I'm bored," Lubbock muttered, his voice lazy but tinged with amusement. He lay flat on his back, his hands resting behind his head as he stared up at the darkening sky. His Imperial Arm, Cross Tail, was still active, its faintly glowing strings weaving through the trees like a spider's web. "A couple more rounds, though, and you might actually make me sweat," he added, a smirk playing on his lips.
Tatsumi, lying a few feet away, was in far worse shape. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, his sword resting loosely in his grip and several cuts all over his body. Sweat dripped down his face, and his muscles ached. "So you say," he managed between gasps, "but I don't see much of a difference." He groaned, propping himself up on one elbow. "That Teigu of yours is a nightmare to deal with. I'd rather take on Leone and Bulat at the same time — even if it means getting my bones broken."
Lubbock chuckled, his grin widening as he waved a hand dismissively. The strings of Cross Tail shimmered faintly as they retracted, coiling back into his gloves. "Thanks for the compliment," he said, his tone light but genuine. "But seriously, it's hard to believe how far you've come since you first got here. Where did you even learn to fight like that?"
Tatsumi's expression softened, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Back in my village, I trained with my friends. We had a retired soldier who taught us everything," he began, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "When I made it to the capital, I had the chance to polish my skills under my captain's guidance. It wasn't for long, but she taught me a lot. I'll always be grateful to her for that." His smile faded slightly as memories of his arrest and the events that followed flickered in his mind. "You've seen her fight, Lubbock. I'm nowhere near her level. I doubt I ever will be."
"Well, that's obvious," Lubbock replied with a shrug, his tone matter-of-fact. "You can only beat an Imperial Arm user if you have one of your own. That's just how it works."
Tatsumi frowned, his brow furrowing. "But Emiya doesn't have one."
Lubbock waved a hand as if brushing aside the comment. "Are you seriously comparing yourself to him? He's a monster, Tatsumi. There's no one else in this world who can go up against a Teigu user without one of their own with any real expectation of winning. Heck, the weapons he uses might as well be Imperial Arms in their own right. Najenda once mentioned that even she doesn't know the full extent of what Emiya's capable of." He paused, his expression turning serious. "You weren't there for some of the things he's done, so it's hard to explain. But trust me, some of those weapons are in a league of their own. Don't measure yourself against him — it'll only make things harder for you in the long run."
Tatsumi opened his mouth to respond, but a new voice cut through the conversation before he could speak.
"Well, well, look at you being all wise and philosophical all of a sudden," came a teasing voice. Neither Tatsumi nor Lubbock needed to turn their heads to know who it was. The tall, armored figure of Bulat was already within view, Incursio's spear resting casually on his shoulder. The eye embedded in the weapon seemed to gleam faintly in the dim light, and his armor, though battle-worn, still carried an air of authority. Despite his imposing presence, he had managed to approach without either of them noticing.
Not that surprising considering the armor held exceptional stealth-related abilities.
"If only you could be like this every day," Bulat continued, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Maybe then the girls would stop hitting you so much."
Lubbock's face flushed slightly out of anger, and he shot Bulat a mock glare. "What do you mean, 'all of a sudden'? I'm always this wise! You guys just never pay attention!" Despite his protest, there was no real annoyance in his voice. In fact, his smile only grew wider at the sight of their comrade. "What brings you out here, anyway? Decided to join the training session?"
Bulat chuckled, leaning against a nearby tree. "Something like that. I came to check on you two. Got to see young Tatsumi here hold his own against your strings. For a beginner, he did pretty well."
Tatsumi's face reddened at the praise, but he couldn't help the small swell of pride in his chest. "Thanks, Aniki," he said, his voice steadying as he caught his breath. "I've still got a long way to go, though."
"We all do," Bulat replied, his tone softening. "But that's what makes it worth it. Keep pushing yourself, Tatsumi. You'll get there. But that's not exactly what I was wondering about… you've been pretty distracted since Emiya left."
"…"
The brown-haired boy was caught off guard, having not expected to be caught like this but he did not deny it and instead sighed. "I don't know why I keep hiding it in the first place. Does Incursio give you the ability to read minds now?"
"Hahahahaha! Fortunately no, I wouldn't want to be driven insane. You're just easy to read."
Given how Zank became, he supposed that was a good answer. That Teigu itself rejected him even though he was able to use its ability for a brief moment. "I was just thinking about the execution the Empire's gonna be holding, are we really not going to do anything?"
He'd recently learned that the woman who was responsible for treating his friends just enough that they wouldn't die — for which Tatsumi was forever grateful to her, Emiya, and the entirety of Night Raid — weighed heavily on his mind, to say the least. Which became the main reason behind his unrest lately, she was going to die soon and they were not doing anything to prevent it.
It did not sit right with him.
"Tatsumi, it is obviously a trap. With General Esdeath personally overseeing this, it would pretty much be suicide to try and rescue her. You saw for yourself how dangerous she is in your recent mission in the Capital." Bulat said, and Tatsumi was forced to agree with his words. "Emiya going there to save that woman is exactly what they want us to do. Even the Revolutionary Army sent multiple couriers with specific instructions to keep him away."
Though he had not confronted her directly, seeing the clash between those two even from a distance had been enough to give him the chills. Further enforcing the feeling of helplessness within him, not having a Teigu kept becoming a bigger and bigger obstacle before him. If only he had one… then things would have been different, much different.
Still, he was not expecting that even the Revolutionary Army would order such a thing.
"I know that, but still it does not sit well with me. I owe that woman a lot for saving my friends, and that she's about to be executed for helping Emiya makes me feel even more like I should try to save her," Tatsumi argued weakly, covering the sunlight covering his face. "But… well… never mind. Hah… I really need a Teigu of my own."
"You might have a chance for that."
"—?"
That immediately pulled him back up when he heard Akame's voice come from behind Bulat, the muscular black-haired warrior approaching them with both Najenda and Mine tagging along. The latter had a pissed-off face for some reason, while their silver-haired leader in question held a small box in her hand.
"Looks like Bulat's word choice threw you off. Not that I'm surprised—subtlety isn't exactly his strong suit."
"Hahaha, sorry boss!"
She shook her head with amusement, "In any case, our primary goal was to keep Emiya occupied, but that does not mean we can just sit here twiddling our thumbs. That woman, Dr. Eva, is an important asset that can be of use to the Revolutionary Army. Her knowledge and experience from working in the same department as Dr. Stylish is not to be underestimated, and she may hold crucial information we can use."
Tatsumi could not believe his ears for a moment, doing a double take and looking at Najenda with disbelief.
"But I thought you were…"
She raised her hand, stopping him before he could finish his sentence. "I know what you will say, and the previous point I mentioned to my brother still stands. Going back to the Capital is very dangerous given we just barely managed to leave that place, and almost all of us are on their wanted posters. But things have changed and from the intel we gathered, the execution won't be taking place in the Capital itself."
"Wait what?" Even Lubbock and Bulat were surprised by that information.
"The time and location have been altered given that the platform where the execution usually takes place has been destroyed due to the altercation between my brother and the General last time. Much of the Capital's forces are too focused on repairing the damages inflicted upon its walls to risk diverting them for such an event. So, from what I gathered, the new location will be on the outskirts beyond the walls, situated near the creek up north where there stands an abandoned manor."
"That place? But isn't that your old home?" Lubbock commented in disbelief, not sure if what he heard was correct. But the nod he got from Najenda just cemented that information. "This is ridiculous! She is just insulting you at this point!"
"Calm down, Lubbock, that place is mostly just rubble by now. It no longer holds any value to me. I'm more surprised Honest hasn't given that place to one of his lackies," she said to calm him down, not looking the least bit angered by this piece of news. "I do not consider that place my home anymore, we abandoned it the moment we left the Capital. Getting attached to such things will only bring you trouble in the future. But in this case, this location works in our favor."
"Eh, how so?"
"No one is aware of this next piece of information, not even Emiya for that matter, as the information was given to me by my father shortly before he died. We weren't able to make use of it before when we left the Capital because of the sheer number of people we were moving, but for a small team like ours, it'll be perfect. It's a tunnel leading with a single exit point from the Manor's basement; we can use it to sneak in, grab our target, and leave. There will be no attempts at assassinating anyone for that matter." Grabbing a rolled-up scroll, she unfolded on the ground and showed a roughly made sketch of the layout of the tunnel.
Bulat rubbed his chin after seeing the details, even Tatsumi immediately saw one glaring issue. "It's risky, if discovered they can just demolish the entire thing to trap us inside or even follow us. Not to mention how narrow it is. No space for combat, and we would have our backs facing the enemy the entire time. Honestly, sneaking through the slums seems a better option than this, Boss." The former soldier commented, dismissing the Incursio armor.
"The slums have had their security amped up after our last excursion, our previous route is no longer an option. Any other point of entry will risk us getting discovered sooner than later, which we cannot afford to let happen. According to our spy, the target will be transported a day before the execution and will be locked in one of the cells. We just need to get in and out as soon as possible before collapsing the tunnel ourselves to avoid getting pursued," Najenda continued, not disagreeing with Bulat. "This is plan A."
She opened the box showing a familiar Teigu resembling a compass, handing it to Tatsumi who was confused at first. "This is plan B if you can use it."
"…Are you serious?" The boy's voice quivered, hesitating to grab the device, and looked at her with plenty of questions festering within him. "If I'm not compatible then…"
"We won't know until you try. Spectator was obviously not destined to be used by you."
"For good reason!" Mine screamed from the back, still holding some grudges.
"If it truly doesn't work with you, then that's all there is to it. We will proceed with the first plan with Bulat taking the lead, even Esdeath cannot sense Incursio's cloaking ability. But if it does work with you, then that makes this mission easier for us. You will mark this location, grab our target, and immediately teleport back — simple as that. Mine and I will scout the area, Akame will be there as backup and Lubbock will stay here to keep any uninvited intruders at bay." Just as he was about to grab the box, Najenda pulled it away. "Not so fast."
"Eh?"
Confused by her action, he wondered if she was reconsidering her decision.
"Hold on," Najenda's voice turned serious. "There's something we need to address first - something we've been dancing around. Your actual membership in Night Raid."
The others exchanged glances, the mood shifting as they waited for their leader to continue.
"That mission with Emiya? That doesn't count - he was doing you a favor more than anything else. This is different. This is an official assignment from the Revolutionary Army to Night Raid. If you accept, you're one of us - fully, completely. But I need you to understand what that means. There's no guarantee that you will make it back alive."
From her pockets, she retrieved a letter and gave it to Tatsumi. He accepted it, unsure of its content but ripped the envelope open when she gestured to him to read it. Thinking it was going to be a message concerning the details of the mission, he was in for a shock when it turned out to be a letter.
"T-This writing…" Having recognized the writing style, the elegant way this was written, the font, and the small drawing of a four-leaf flower at the bottom. "S-Sayo?"
Najenda smiled, "Both of your friends managed to make a miraculous recovery from the looks of it. They are not in the condition to travel long distances to see you but at least they can write you a message."
The more he read the more his eyes started to become hazy, tears building up until they started to stream down his face. Falling onto his knees whilst clutching the piece of paper for dear life. "Thank you… thank you…"
"I am giving you a chance to go back. From this moment on, you can choose to pack your belongings and a carriage will be prepared for you to head towards the Revolutionary Army main headquarters. There you will meet your friends who can either stay and help the organization or be sent back to your village to live a peaceful life. If you accept this mission, I cannot guarantee that you will be able to see them again, your notoriety will increase and so will the Empire's efforts to hunt you down like the rest of us. Is that a burden you're willing to shoulder?" She explained gently, putting her hands on his shoulders while he continued to cry.
Everyone around them became silent, even Mine who turned her attention elsewhere.
Despite his overwhelming emotions, He heard every single one of her words clearly. A part of them did consider taking the first option, for he truly did miss the times when they could hang out together all three of them without having to worry about the Empire. He wanted to see them again, to see them smile and be alive.
But he could not take that path, for it only made him realize that the debt he owed them would not be something he could just ignore.
"Even if I go back, our village still needs money to survive. And if one day my friends are in danger or anyone else who I cherish because of the Empire then I would not be able to forgive myself. As long as Honest is in power, they are not safe and I cannot accept that."
He grabbed the Teigu firmly, the device shined with a blue light flashing on its surface but he felt no rejection or even pain for that matter. This made both Bulat and Lubbock start cheering for him.
Najenda nodded, respecting his choice.
"This time, I officially welcome you to Night Raid, Tatsumi. We have a lot of work ahead of us, so you best be prepared."
{Break}
-Chouri's Residence-
The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the empty field where the sounds of combat echoed. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and the faint tang of earth kicked up by their movements. Leone lunged forward with a roar that could rival a beast's. Her feline ears twitched, her golden hair flowing like fire as she closed the distance between herself and her opponent. Her clawed hands, empowered by her Teigu, Lionelle, were poised to strike with devastating force.
"Take this!" she bellowed, her voice a mix of ferocity and maybe a bit too much excitement for her own good.
Bam!
Her fists slammed into the ground, missing her target by inches. The impact sent cracks spider-webbing across the earth without breaking her fingers. She snarled in frustration, her golden eyes narrowing as she scanned the area. "Where the hell… There!" Her instincts kicked in, her ears twitching as she twisted her body just in time to avoid a sweeping kick aimed at her back.
"Got you now, handsome!" she growled, a feral grin spreading across her face as she tried to grab his ankle. But her opponent was quicker. A second kick came from her blind spot, striking her chin and sending her stumbling backward. The force of the blow left her disoriented, and before she could recover, a knee drove into her stomach, forcing the air from her lungs and leaving her sprawled on the ground face first.
"Gah!" she gasped, spitting out a mouthful of dirt. Her body ached, and she knew a nasty bruise was already forming. She lay there for a moment, catching her breath, before managing a weak smirk. "Hn… A-ugh, ar-ah, fuck. You're being too rough with me. This is our first time, be more gentle."
Her playful jab earned a low chuckle from Emiya, the white-haired swordsman standing over her. His black armor gleamed under the sun, his sleeves discarded to reveal muscular arms slick with sweat. His hair usually slicked back, now fell loosely around his face, damp from the hours-long sparring session.
"You're the one who told me to stop holding back," he replied, his tone dry but amused. "If you get your hands on me, I'll be the one suffering. Can't afford to take chances with Lionelle in the mix."
Leone groaned, extending a hand toward him. "At least I managed to make you sweat," she said, her voice teasing despite her exhaustion. Emiya grasped her hand, pulling her to her feet with ease. She was surprisingly light, while her Teigu's deactivation causing her features to revert to their human form. The exhaustion was evident now, creeping into her expression as she stretched her arms, her movements languid and catlike.
"So, how'd I do?" Leone asked, stretching lazily like a cat after a nap. Her grin was wide, but her eyes were sharp, clearly fishing for praise—or maybe just trying to distract him. As she arched her back, the fabric of her top strained dangerously, and Emiya's gaze darted away faster than one of her missed swings, focusing on her question.
"Better than I imagined," he admitted, crossing his arms. She laughed, stretching her arms high enough that he was pretty sure the fabric was one deep breath away from giving up entirely. "Your fighting style is aggressive and straightforward — perfect for a brawler. It complements Lionelle well. The enhanced strength and speed put you among the top fighters I've seen in the Empire." He paused, his expression turning serious. "But your reaction speed is inconsistent. Sometimes your instincts are razor-sharp to the point you predict attacks in advance, and other times you miss obvious ones. That's your biggest weakness."
Leone listened intently, her playful demeanor fading as she absorbed his critique. "When you put it like that, it makes me feel like an amateur," she said with a wry smile. "But I get what you mean. I tend to get carried away by my emotions. It clouds my instincts."
"That can be fatal in combat," Emiya warned. "Your strength and speed are impressive, but your endurance isn't on the same level. You can't rely solely on brute force."
The blonde nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Noted. Maybe I'll ask Mine or Akame for some extra training. Mine can shoot at me, and Akame's speed is insane. But for now…" She flashed him a grin, her playful side resurfacing. "I'll be in your care for now, handsome."
Emiya sighed, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips. "Don't push your luck," he said. "You're a quick learner, you wouldn't need my help to improve in the future."
Leone stretched again, her movements deliberately exaggerated as she watched him. "Tch, I thought I almost had you back then. You were definitely looking at my chest and how did that not distract you for even a second? They are plenty big enough, aren't they?"
Squeezing her chest exaggeratedly, she struck a pose to which he shook his head, refusing to rise to the bait. "Focus on yourself, Leone. Flirting won't help you in combat."
"Maybe not," she said, laughing as she let her hands drop from her chest, the sudden movement making everything bounce in a way that was *definitely* noticeable. "But hey, it keeps things interesting. Anyway, I'm all sweaty and gross—wanna hit the river with me? Cool off, wash up, feel like a new man. Trust me, it's worth taking a bath with me." She peeked at her sweaty cleavage, muttering something about forgetting to bring soap.
"I'm good."
"What, feel shy? C'mon, it's us getting to know each other better, not like we're going to do anything over there."
For some reason this conversation felt oddly familiar, all that was lacking was some blood, piles of Danger Beast corpses… but the smiles were the same. 'Something tells me those two would have gotten along quite well in the past. She's even very friendly with Najenda.'
"What?" She asked when noticing his gaze lingering on her. "Just so you know my tits don't smell bad, I just grimaced before of the greasy feeling on my skin."
"It's nothing. Unfortunately, I would have to decline the offer, we should be going back before—"
"—The carriage will be ready in twenty minutes."
"Wah!"
Like a frightened kitten, Leone literally jumped in the air when she heard Spear's voice appear from behind. Further enforcing his theory about her imperial arm influencing the woman's personality when she climbed on him as if he were some kind of tree and practically hissed.
Not like he could blame her, the way Spear appeared was like a ghost. Her father's training was coming in handy from the looks of it. The young woman stared at his face for a long while, searching for something within most likely, and then turned her attention to Leone.
"Humph!" Once again, she left without saying anything or even giving him an opportunity to speak.
Seeing her departing figure, Emiya questioned just how long she would be able to keep this up.
"What the hell is wrong with that chick?" Leone mentioned, having some grievance in her tone. "I felt like my heart was about to bust out of my boobs just now, seriously freaked me out…"
"We really need to work on your situational awareness and instincts." While he said that, for some reason, the blonde kept sitting on top of his shoulders, wrapping her legs around him and starting to mess with his hair. "Get down."
"What the hell… your hair is softer than mine. How is that possible? Even Mine doesn't have such soft hair, and she's crazy about her appeance. Wait, then how the hell do they stay slicked back all day? This better not be another one of your magic tricks. Come on! Tell me your secret." Her fingers kept moving across his scalp, gently moving everywhere like a child having found a new toy to play with.
"…"
Without saying a word, he started walking close to the nearby river with Leone noticing his action. "Oh my, finally ready to accept my offer? Glad you did! Now give me a moment to take off my clothes—woah! Hey! Ah~!"
Firmly gripping her thighs, Emiya ignored the admittedly impressive theatrical moan she let out—something that would've made a lesser man trip over his own feet. But he'd dealt with worse. Without missing a beat, he yanked her off his shoulders and tossed her into the river like a sack of potatoes. Leone hit the water with a loud splash, her yelp of surprise drowned out by the sound of the impact.
Her head popped back up moments later, hair plastered to her face, glaring at him with the intensity of a cat who just got kicked out of its favorite sunspot. Bubbles rose to the surface as she muttered something unintelligible underwater, though the annoyed flailing of her arms made her feelings perfectly clear.
He grinned, crossing his arms "Thought you needed a moment to cool off Lionel's influence on you. Besides, you wanted to have a bath just a few moments ago, didn't you? There you go then, I helped."
"Why you fucking asshole…!" Waving her arm, she splashed a wave of water at Emiya, getting him soaked in an instant. Her grin froze up and slowly died down as she continued to laugh at his expression. "Serves you right, no one messes with me. You're the one who needs to work on his instincts~!" She teased him by sticking out her tongue.
"How childish," he commented, not that it made any difference, she just did not care.
"Now dance for me~!"
She tried to splash more on him, forcing him to dodge at first till she continued while also trying to get out of the water. Not wanting to let this woman get her cheap victory this easily, he rushed forward and grabbed her with one hand around her stomach. Lifting her up easily with his knees lowering for a jump.
"Woah! Woah! Woah! Wait, at least let me remove my stuf—" Splash!
This time, both fell back onto the water.
"Shit, I lost my top!"
.
.
.
"Achoo!"
A few minutes passed and both of them now sat on the river bank, Leone huddled around a large towel with Emiya dropping another small towel on her head.
"Hehehe, that was fun." She said, drying herself off while he did the same.
"Sounds like you'll get sick."
"Nonsense, I won't get sick of Lionel for long!" There was a joke to be made there with idiots not getting sick, but he held it back "We should get going, Spear might throw a tantrum if we don't."
"Speaking of Spear, I think it is only fair for me to ask you about your history with that woman. What's this about a marriage proposal and you turn her down? I wanted to ask earlier but kinda forgot about it during the training." She let go of the towel, having only her bare back face him while she went to put on her now dry clothes.
Emiya sighed, "It's a long story. But to give you a brief version of it… After I left Najenda's group back when we left the Capital, I had to get as far away as I could in order to lure Esdeath away from them. Thus forced me to go to different regions across the Empire, one of my paths leading me to encounter Chouri who needed help with Danger Beasts attacking a village. I helped him, met Spear who was still under his tutelage, and I agreed to stay over until the problem was resolved."
"Woah, is that where you got your title?" She asked curiously, intrigued by his side of the story.
"I believe so. Spear was the one who came up with it actually, she was really looking forward to having me teach her."
Leone snickered, "Wherever you go, there is always someone you gotta teach, huh?"
"I suppose so, not like I don't understand why she approached me in the first place. In any case, I fulfilled her desire and helped her a bit. I also believe I was her only friend at the time, so she got quite comfortable around me very quickly. Of course, I could not remain there forever and knew that it would only bring them danger, so after fulfilling my promise, I was prepared to leave… and let's say Spear was not happy and wanted to stop me."
"Ooooooh!"
The way she reacted made him feel as if she was listening to a drama show, even her eyes glittered with interest.
Still, he continued, "You can imagine the rest. The day before I left, she approached me in the middle of the night in my room and proposed."
"What, no sex?"
"No."
"Aw… no wait, that's a good thing. Never mind me then, continue with the story!"
"Not much to say," he shrugged, "I said no, closed the door, and left the next day. I believed her grievance would fizzle away with time. Guess I was wrong, she's more stubborn." As we're pretty much every woman he met in this world so far, he did not know whether to be worried about that or not.
"I feel like you are hiding a lot of details in the story," Leone said, looking at him suspiciously. "There are some juicy details, I know it."
"Who knows," He left her with that before walking away.
"Oh wait, you have something stuck on your back, Emiya." halting in his tracks, He was confused as to what she was talking about since he felt nothing. But letting her take whatever it was, he stood still and heard the woman approach him.
But rather than take whatever was attached to him, but instead, he felt something large and soft pressed against his back. She brought her head closer and he felt a warm, wet sensation dragging a slow, deliberate line up his neck and immediately a shiver crawled up his spine. "—!"
"Ah," He looked at the woman who was equally as stunned as him for some reason. Holding onto a strand of her hair in one hand.
"Why?"
"... Um, it just happened?" She replied without sounding much confident herself, laughing awkwardly and looking around the forest as if hoping he would ignore that.
"Again?"
"Sorry."
'The Teigu really is affecting her mind, she and Esdeath definitely get along.'
Walking back to the village with Leone rushing to catch up with him, he saw the father-daughter duo waiting for them in front of their carriages. There were no additional guards, no troops or bodyguards disguised as civilians to keep them company.
"Ah, there you are, Archer! I'm sorry to interrupt your time training with your partner here, but I'm afraid we are pressed for time."
"I understand, you don't need to explain yourself." He replied politely, seeing the old man get on board followed by Leone and then himself. Spear remained behind to give a few orders to the villagers before getting in.
Though as she went to take a seat near her father, Leone had already made her move and sat there instead. Leaving the only free spot to be next to him.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence followed and he immediately saw how his partner's eyes started to shine brightly with interest when she watched both of them.
She wanted to start a drama, didn't she…
That mischievous smile did not help.
Unfortunately for her, that did not happen as Spear silently took a seat next to him and during the next hour had not uttered a single word. Not even look at him once, but with every bump on the road that ended up making her body touch he did manage to bring some redness to her face.
All of this is observed by Leone who was having fun with her.
"So, Emiya, I hope life has been treating you well lately." Chouri started the conversation, oblivious to the atmosphere in the carriage. "I was pretty surprised when I got word that you joined Night Raid. Then again, your sister is the leader so it makes sense. But why now?"
"I got tired of running," he said with a slight shrug. "Najenda could use the help, and I've spent enough time avoiding my responsibilities. Figured it was time to actually do something about it instead of just watching from the shadows."
"Marvelous, didn't I tell you you would make a good teacher? Ever since you left my daughter has not met a single instructor capable of teaching the way you did, she wouldn't stop comparing all of them to you."
"Father!" Spear exclaimed loudly, mortified by what he just revealed.
"Ah, sorry my dear! Hahaha, I really shouldn't tease my dear daughter like this."
She grumbled but did not say anything else, showing an adorable pout, while keeping her silence after that.
"In any case, no matter what decisions lead you to go to them, it does not matter. As long as you are there I am certain that the end of Honest's reign is soon over. There are plenty of ministers and members of the council who have not liked his rule for the past few years. Unfortunately, they are too cowardly to act on their own, with me nearby it will shake up the core of that man's support circle."
An interesting plan, using his former influence to sway former allies back to his side. But it was very risky, Emiya was certain that someone like Honest must have had spies tracking the former prime minister's whereabouts and with his recent actions, he must have noticed something.
"What if Honest retaliates? Not like you will be able to sway everyone on your side, use force as a means to kill anyone who changes their mind, and keep the others over there through pure fear alone. It might cause a war to erupt within the Capital." Emiya has his two bits, considering everything that could happen. "You could have just retired somewhere far away, old man."
"Heh, as if that would have changed anything. I know that man, he is ruthless and sooner or later would have come after me even if I was on the other side of the globe. And ask for your prior comment, a war is inevitable, it is much better than having the entire Empire rot away till nothing remains." He said resolutely, fully convinced that this was the right path to take.
Emiya had no opinion on that matter, whether it was the right thing to do or not was not up to him to decide. With everything said and done, a conflict between both sides was truly inevitable and he was certain that sooner or later he would be forced to face her again.
"I only ask you to continue supporting me when the time comes for a new era to be born. As soon as the late General Nagumo, having one of his children retake the title and farmland that once belonged to them is crucial to reestablishing what has been lost to those corrupted fool—hm?"
The carriage came to a house and immediately everyone on board became tense when the entire thing started to shake. The tremors became more and more severe until both he and Leone heard something big and heavy approaching. "Leone!"
"I got it!"
"Hya!"
Both grabbed the person sitting next to them firmly before Kanshou dropped within his grasp and used it to cut the carriage into two. Giving them enough space to jump out right as a large boulder twice the size of their mode of transportation dropped onto where they were previously. Crushing the entire wooden frame into thousands of pieces.
"Enemies ahead, a lot of them!" Spear shouted, pointing at the forest from where several soldiers rushed out and circled them. "Emiya, my spear."
Due to the prior attack, she was unable to take her spear before it got crushed by the rock. Emiya wasted no time in Tracing one for her, which the girl took without even looking and then twirled in a practiced move and had her back pressed against his. "Up there."
"I see them."
Above a hill, two men stood calmly with their eyes glaring down at him. Or rather one of them glaring at him with enough hatred and madness to rival any Berserker. A familiar face he remembered seeing a couple of times two years ago when the latter tried to save his comrade from his arrow.
"You have changed a lot, boy."
"And you haven't changed at all, old man."
Liver's cold glare stared down at him before he looked at Chouri who was safe within Leone's grasp. "Former Prime Minister Chouri, upon discovering your connections to the Revolutionary Army and actions on destabilizing the Empire from within — you are hereby declared a traitor and will be executed by orders of the crown. This will be your grave and none shall remember you."
Emiya felt that the last part was aimed at him rather than Chouri himself.
------------
The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.