Fate: Kill

Chapter 51

It felt as if a cold blade was pressed against Akame's neck, gradually slicing it open as time passed by. A sense of unfairness assailed her more than anything else.

Her breaths were shallow, and her focus was waning along with her blackening vision. The wound through her stomach had been steadily leaking blood, and dizziness was gradually clouding her senses.

She could feel her knees wobbling, her feet finding it difficult to balance, and yet more than ever, she wanted to cry. No matter how long she'd trained to repress her thoughts and emotions to give full attention to a certain task, there were still breaking points.

To be so close, yet so far frustrated her beyond all else. Why? Just once, can't something turn out right in her life?!

Her breathing started to wheeze as she assessed the situation, surrounded by enemies on all sides and Shirou injured and supporting his back against a tree.

He could hardly move even if he wanted to. Akame could tell easily. After all, Shirou would have been standing by now if he could. Instead, what he did was different.

Akame could feel Shirou's eyes on her, and knew without a doubt what he would say.

"Akame-"

"Shut up." She cut him off briskly, her tone sharper than it had ever been.

Forcing strength into her limbs, she put herself between Shirou and everyone else, five people in total as potential enemies. There was Syura whom she recognized, followed by three others she recalled from Night Raid's intelligence reports. The fat clown, Champ; the former pirate Enshin; and the bloody swordsman Izou. The reports stated that there should have been two others that comprised Syura's Wild Hunt, but they weren't around for one reason or another.

They had been stationed at the capital's defense due to the nature of their Teigu and Dorothea's alchemic prowess. The two of them were far more effective in mass genocide than assassination. One used sound to kill her enemies, and the other could mass produce modified Danger Beasts. Their skill set was planned to cripple the rebel army's forces, but all contact was lost when the capital's defenders vanished in a ring of fire.

Kurome and Wave made the total enemies come to five, but as things stood, the reaction between Kurome and Wave, and Syura's group was ambiguous. Wave was glaring while Kurome had frozen up.

Infighting? It would have been in Akame's best interest, but it wasn't reliable given that the reasonable approach was for Wave and Kurome to back away.

From the start, Syura's gaze was trained on Shirou.

Akame tightened her grip around Murasame's hilt. Her nerves were tense. In her current state, realistically, there was no chance at victory much less survival.

"Well look what we have here? A fine woman." Enshin licked his lips, his eyes narrowing into slits framed by an outdated triangular bob-cut hair.

A shudder of revulsion traveled down Akame's spine.

Enshin was said to be a man hand-picked by Syura. He was a misogynist pirate rumored to have had his way with numerous women upon entering the capital.

Akame's eyes glanced towards the sword strapped to Enshin's side. He was a swordsman, and that sword he had was a Teigu said to be capable of creating air blades.

"Oi, Champa, you keep guard. I'll handle this one." Enshin leisurely stepped forward, Syura silently acknowledging the arrangement. "Too bad the boss lost his legs. Still, you want any action Champ? She looks like the silent type, but they're always the screamers."

Akame let out a shaky breath, beads of sweat forming over her brow as she glanced at Champ, the fat clown. If the both of them attacked her, there was no chance.