Akame Ga Kill: Uprising

Chapter 23: Kill the Illusion

3rd Person POV

Graveyard

Raising his arm, James barely deflected an attack aimed for Akame as Ibara laughed maniacally, his sickly arms extending whips as he swung at them, each punch connecting with the force of a sledgehammer.

"That is one freaky weapon of yours," he chuckled, grinning wickedly. "Murasame is the perfect sword for damaged goods like you!"

A blow connected to the side of James's head, and he staggered, two more blows slipping past him to strike Akame, one blow slashing across the left side of her chest while the other slashed across her leg, both tearing through her clothing with ease.

"C'mon, c'mon, I know you can move faster than that, little lady!" Ibara taunted. "You really need a pathetic boy toy to protect you?!"

Why does everyone keep calling me that? James wondered idly, pushing himself to his feet and deflecting a blow aimed at his shoulder while Akame did the same. First Kurome, and now this guy?

Raising his head, James's eyes narrowed as he watched Ibara's attack pattern, searching for an opening. "There!" Surging forward, James activated a Stingblade and swung, intercepting a strike aimed at his neck. "Now!"

Akame raced forward, her blade hissing toward Ibara's heart, but his arms extended, his left bending in a U around James's strike as the Rakshasa Demon caught the sword between his palms, shocking both assassins.

"It's too bad you left before completing your training," Ibara taunted and tore Murasame out of Akame's hands, flinging it into the air. "I'll be taking that!" Reaching up, Ibara caught the katana one-handed, grinning wickedly.

Instead of reacting, Akame smirked, and James fought back a laugh of his own as a dark aura shimmered across Murasame's blade.

"Huh?" Ibara blinked, staring at Murasame in confusion. "What the Hell's wrong with this thing?!"

James!

Nodding, James crouched, and Akame placed a foot in his palm. Standing, James launched her skyward, and she flipped through the air, landing on Ibara's shoulders. Twisting, she snapped his neck with both legs and lept off, causing him to drop Murasame, which was caught by James.

"Don't tell me..." Ibara choked through gritted teeth as he glared at them while Akame landed beside James. "You planned all this from the beginning and actually let me take your weapon from you!"

"The answer was clear as soon as you couldn't understand Murasame," Akame replied, accepting the weapon from James and resting it over her shoulder. "There was no way it would bond with you like it has with us."

"How the Hell was he holding your weapon?" Ibara demanded, grasping his head with both hands and snapping it back into position, turning to face them with his eyes narrowed. "Wielders can only hold one Teigu at a time!"

"First impressions are vital when wielding an Imperial Arm, remember?" James taunted, extending his Stingblades.

Ibara gritted his teeth, his eyes mad with rage. "Damn you!" He surged toward them, his tails elongating into talons. "You little—"

Akame raised her foot, took a step... and surged forward. Murasame blurred, cutting through Ibara's legs, arms, and torso in one beautiful motion.

"Looks like my cursed blade didn't take a liking to you," Akame commented, landing behind him and sheathing her weapon as Ibara's body fell to the ground. "It may have something to do with your winning personality."