Akame Ga Kill - Split The Earth In Two, Quake

Chapter Thirty Four: The Guard Dog VS The God

Back at the Night Raid base, everyone is still on edge, waiting for Tatsumi and the others to return. "Maybe we should send someone into the Capital..?", Sheele says reluctantly. "...Yeah..I'll go check and see if I can find anything out.", Chelsea says as she stands up with Gaea Foundation in her hand. "I'm going with you. I know Minazuki's scent pretty well, so if he's anywhere in the Capital, I should be able to find him...", Leone says as she stands up from her seat. "Leone, I-", Najenda begins to say before they hear the sound of the front door opening. Everyone's eyes widen as they hear the sound of someone rushing through the base as the door slams shut. Leone rushes out of the room and into the hallway where they heard someone running to see Lubbock nearly out of breath. "Lubbock? Where's Minazuki and Tatsumi? Are they fighting the enemy? Did they send you to get reinforcements!?!", Leone begins to question him, getting slightly hostile at the end. "T..Tatsumi...was captured...by Esdeath.... Got....Got ambushed...by Wild Hunt...Ended up in Palace.. Oh God, I'm really out of shape...", Lubbock manages to say as he gasps for air. "Tatsumi was captured!?!", Mine shouts in a rage. "Where's Minazuki!?!", Mine shouts as she grabs Lubbock by his shirt. "He captured General Budo. He said he had plans for him or something. He also told me to give Najenda this.", he replies as he finally catches his breath, before showing them Shambhala. "An Imperial Arm?", Susanoo asks as he takes it out of his hands. "Yeah. It can make portals and stuff apparently.", he replies with a nod. "Okay, now tell us what happened, Lubbock.", Najenda says as she puts her hand on his shoulder and walks him into the meeting room. After explaining everything he remembered and what little information Minazuki gave him, Akame asks, "General Hitzugaea ascended? What does that mean?" "It's likely that it means that he used melding to do the same thing Minazuki did, but with his Imperial Arm Tenmei.", Susanoo suggests. "So his already frightening power is probably off the charts now. No wonder Minazuki didn't want to go head-to-head with that guy and Esdeath all at once.", Chelsea says as she tries to think of the amount of power that Hitzugaea has now. "Did Minazuki say anything about what he was going to do with Budo?", Najenda asks. Lubbock shakes his head no and says, "He only said he had plans for him and told me to get that Imperial Arm to you." "I see...", Najenda replies before seeming to get lost in thought. "What are you planning, Minazuki...", she thinks to herself as she tries to figure out what he might be planning.

As Budo opens his eyes, he sees the cloudy sky above. He rubs his face as he sits up before saying, "That brat, he must've knocked me unconscious with that attack." "I've already told you, General, I'm a God.", Minazuki says to him out of nowhere, causing him to quickly rise to his feet and point his fists at him. Minazuki is sitting a few feet away on a medium sized rock, hunched over as he watched Budo sleep. Budo takes a quick look around and says, "We're clearly not in the Palace anymore. Where have you taken me, Night Raid!?" "We're outside the Capital a ways away, that's all you need to know for the moment.", Minazuki replies. Budo suddenly realizes he's been disarmed and thinks, "He removed Adramelech from me while I was unconscious!? He must plan to torture me for the Empire's secrets and their plans to battle the Revolutionary Army." "What are you so nervous about, General..? I haven't even made a hostile move toward you and you're treating this as if this is some form of torture.", Minazuki says as he looks up to Budo with a slight glare. "What is it that you want then? Secrets? The Empire's battle strategies? I won't give them up to the enemy!", Budo exclaims as he prepares to fight to the death. "I brought you out here to ask you a few questions, that's all. I don't really care about the Empire's secrets or what their battle plans are. That won't matter in the end. I'm more interested in you, General.", Minazuki explains as he keeps his focus on Budo. "I'm not answering any of your questions. I'll fight to the death here and now if I must!", Budo replies sternly as he refuses to give into Minazuki's request. Minazuki just sighs and asks, "What if I give you back your Imperial Arm? Would a show of good faith like that be enough to get a few answers? I bet you'd feel safer with it by your side too, huh, Budo?" Budo remains silent and Minazuki just walks over to the giant bolder hiding Adramelech and shatters it in a single punch, revealing Adramelech underneath. He picks up the gauntlets and places them in Budo's hands while saying, "Here, go ahead. You can put them on. It won't change much." Budo glares at him before shifting his focus to Adramelech. He puts on the gauntlets before crossing his arms. "Now, I would like to know why it is you fight for such an Empire? You seem like an honest man with ample talent, so why serve such a corrupt government?", Minazuki asks as he takes his seat back on the average sized rock. He's silent at first before letting out a sigh and saying, "My family has served this Empire for generations. We live to protect his Majesty. That is our duty." "So, you are only loyal to your Emperor then? What of your soldiers? Do you fight to protect them as well?", Minazuki continues. "Of course, the men and women who serve under me all deserve the best protection that I can provide. There may be casualties, but that is war, and that can not be avoided.", Budo replies sternly. "And what of this Empire? Do you serve to protect only its Emperor or do you protect it as well?", Minazuki asks. "I protect both, that is my duty as a General of the Empire.", Budo replies without any hesitation. "So, you protect your Lord, you protect his Empire, and you protect your soldiers, but what about the people who live in this Empire? What about them? Will you not fight for their needs?", Minazuki asks with a slight glare. "My top priority has always been to serve his Majesty and the Empire. In doing so, I am serving the Empire's people. They just don't see it.", Budo replies. "So you stand idly by and let the Prime Minister corrupt your Emperor. You sit idly by as a group of murderous killers run wild in the streets of your Empire. And you ignore the will of the people. But yet, you serve all three? Mortals are truly foolish.", Minazuki says, scolding the General for his ignorance. "What did you just say, Brat?", Budo asks in an irritated tone. Minazuki glares up at the man, who's arms are now coursing with electricity before saying, "Simply put, you're a failure as a General, Budo. You've failed your Emperor, his Empire, and its people. If anything, you've disgraced your family name by standing idle for so long." Budo throws a punch at Minazuki, but he just catches it with one hand, not worried about the electricity running through his body. "Don't get me wrong, General. You're a great guy. You're strong, you inspire your troops, you managed to match Generals Esdeath and Hitzugaea in power. You're quite impressive, but in the end..as a General....you're a failure.", Minazuki says, enraging him even more. The sky starts to darken as storm clouds start to swirl above them as lightning starting to shoot down from them randomly. Budo pulls both of his fists back while saying, "How dare you question my reason to fight? I'll crush you for that, you BRAT!" And as he throws both of his fists forward, a ball of pure electricity is shot out at Minazuki. The ball is almost the size of Minazuki and heading toward him at the speed of lighting, but Minazuki isn't phased in the slightest. He bats the ball away with a backhand like it was a fly irritating him. "Why do mortals have to be so thick headed?", Minazuki asks with a sigh. He suddenly hears a rumbling thunder coming from the sky and Budo shouts, "How about you try to deflect this!!!", before putting both of his fists together and the metal rods that focus his lighting attacks clash together. "Advent of the Thunder Emperor!!!", he shouts as lightning falls from the sky like beams of energy all over the battlefield. Minazuki just walks between the bolts of lightning, not even worried in the slightest that one of them may hit him. "You show a great amount of power in you, General, but you lack the ability to wield it to its full potential. Right now, you might as well be a child playing with a balloon, zapping people.", Minazuki says, pushing Budo even further over the edge. The veins on Budo's forehead and neck start to bulge out before he shouts, "I won't stand idly by as a youth talks down to me! I'll completely obliterate you!!!" He starts to float up into the air as his aura starts to reach an unimaginable level and the lightning strikes double in speed and numbers. "You believe this will be enough to even scratch me, Budo? This is nothing to a God!", Minazuki continues to mock before the lightning suddenly stops. "What is he up to now?", Minazuki starts thinking as he sees Budo holding his arms up in the air. Suddenly, a large lightning bold strikes Budo's arms and his entire body begins to glow. "Ohoho, so this is what you're planning then? Alright, I'll meet your attack with mine and we'll see who's still standing.", Minazuki says with a slight smile as he forms a dragon head out of sand and has it start charging its beam attack, forming a large green sphere near its open mouth. Budo points his right arm down at Minazuki while holding it in place with his left before a small lens pops out of the side of his right gauntlet, helping him line up his shot. "I'll decimate you with this final attack!! SOLID SHOOTER!!!", he shouts right before unleashing a giant purple beam attack made out of pure focused electricity from the lighting that continues to hit his body. Minazuki just chuckles at his beam and points his fist up at the attack and as he opens it, he launches his own beam attack from the giant green sphere. As the two beams collide, the large clash of energy creates not only a giant explosion that blows back all the trees and other objects in the area, but also a sonic boom can be heard from miles away. "Come on, Budo! I know you have more power in there somewhere, unleash it!!!", Minazuki shouts as he starts to push back Budo's beam. As Minazuki's beam continues to overpower Budo's, he feels a sudden surge of power go through his body. "What is this? This energy, it's...", Budo begins to ask as he feels the power flowing through him. His beam begins to increase in both size and power as it starts to finally hold its own against Minazuki's. "Ah, so you've tapped into it a little, but can you hear it yet, Budo?", Minazuki says smugly as he amplifies his beam even further, starting to overwhelm him again. "What is this boy even talking about!? And how does he keep getting stronger!? Is he holding back, or is he boosting his power even further somehow!?!", Budo thinks as the his beam starts to get closer and closer. "Foolish Mortal, listen to my words!", an enraged voice shouts in Budo's head. Budo looks around for the voice's source, but can't seem to find it. "I'll grant you my power, but only for a moment! If you were to die here, it would be most inconvenient for me...", the voice says before Adramelech begins to glow with an overwhelming purple aura. "Adramelech?", Budo thinks with a confused look before hearing the voice shout, "That is my Imperial Arm name, Mortal! Call me by my true name, Raii!!" "Raii?", Budo mutters to himself and his beam increases significantly. "You're pathetic Mortal! You serve a corrupt master in an equally corrupt world! If I weren't stuck with you as a conduit, I'd strike you down for your ignorance!!", Raii shouts, making Budo's head feel as if it were about to explode. "I see, so they're communicating then, good.", Minazuki says before deactivating his beam and letting Budo's come straight at him. As it meets its target, there's a large purple explosion like that of a large bomb! As Budo stops firing, his breathing gets slower and heavier. "It's....over...", Budo mutters as he tries to catch his breath. "Yes, it is.", Minazuki says from behind him. Budo's shocked to hear his voice and turns to see Minazuki standing on top of a floating stone dragon's claw. "You heard his call, yes? Raii, our brother?", Minazuki asks. "You know this voice in my head!? What are you!?! How did you survive that blast!?!", Budo shouts before coughing up blood. Minazuki looks at him with a slightly concerned look and says, "Perhaps I pushed you too quickly. I'll be sure to be a little more gentle when turning Esdeath." "Esdeath? Turn? What are you-", Budo begins to ask before Minazuki asks, "Do you want power?" "Power?", Budo asks with an irritated look. "To me, that attack you sent a second ago, even with Raii's aid was nothing. I can give you a real reason to fight, the power to fight and stand by your side as we fight for the new world together! Will you join me, Budo!? Will you ascend and become a God like I have!?!", Minazuki says, shouting that last part. "You should accept his offer, Mortal. Your reason for fighting so far has been an illusion so far, don't continue to disappoint me.", Raii says in a scolding tone. "What is your objective? Are you part of the Revolutionary Army, or are you a third party in this just for your own purposes?", Budo asks questioningly. "We are part of the Revolutionary Army and our objective is to destroy the corruption of this world. We will start with this Empire and its evil then we will travel the world, searching for corruption and snuffing it out like a wild fire! We will bring not just this Empire into a new age, but the whole world we helped bring into existence many years ago.", Minazuki explains. "We? There are more of you?", Budo asks. "Yes and no, there are more like us, able to become Gods, but currently I am the only one who has reached this point. There is another boy in the Empire that I helped start his ascension a while ago, but I doubt he's done with the process quite yet.", Minazuki explains. "I see, so General Esdeath is also able to 'ascend' like you and this boy have?", Budo asks with a slight glare. Minazuki nods and says, "She hasn't found her way quite yet, but she will in time. Now what is your answer, Budo? Will you join my ranks and become a God like I have? Or will you continue to live in a contradiction?" He holds his hand out to Budo, waiting for his response, but Budo seems to take his time to think about the price of this. "If I do this, I can live an honest life, but I will lose everything I've ever stood for. I'll be a traitor to the Empire, but I'll be working to better the lives of the citizens who live in this corrupt Empire...", he thinks before hearing Raii sigh at his overthinking. Raii then says, "Mortal, do not worry about what might be lost from this. Just understand that you'll be taking responsibility for this world and its people." "It is your choice Budo. If you refuse, I will not kill you. I will take your Imperial Arm however and see if I can find someone else to use it. You should feel lucky to get such a choice. I doubt I'll be able to grant it to General Esdeath when the time comes.", Minazuki says as he patiently waits for his answer with his hand still extended out to Budo. Budo looks up to Minazuki's hand and takes it before saying, "I accept your offer. I will help you purify this world of corruption." A smile comes across Minazuki's face as he says, "Wonderful, but I must warn you, this process will change your body and mind. You and Raii will become one and the same. Not to mention how painful the whole process is, but that's only temporary." Budo just nods his head and says, "I don't care what happens to my body, as long as I am able to repent for allowing this corrupt to exist for as long as I did." Minazuki just pulls him close and sticks the tip of his claw to Budo's forehead before saying, "Krede, Raii. Mesenome." Power surges through Budo's body like an electrical current as Adramelech begins to fuse to his wrists. Budo is able to endure the pain without even a word, though he grinds his teeth just to keep himself from even letting out a peep. "Ah, so you're able to withstand even this pain. That's very good, you're showing signs of Godhood already.", Minazuki says with a slightly impressed look on his face. Budo just closes his eyes and endures until the pain suddenly stops. He opens his eyes to see that the metal rods and yellow connectors that were once his Imperial Arm are no more. His hands are now glowing with a purple aura that he remembers, but doesn't at the same time. "I see, so this is what you were talking about.", Budo says in a calmer tone. He looks up at Minazuki, and Minazuki sees that Budo's eyes are now filled with purple electricity. "You still have a ways to go before you've finished the process, but now, you're technically a God. Now come, we have to plan a jailbreak.", Minazuki says before the dragon claw he's standing on starts to slowly descend to the ground. As Minazuki starts leading Budo to the Night Raid hideout, he thinks, "That was actually easier than I thought it would be. I hope getting Esdeath to join is this simple."

Off in the Palace, Tatsumi is sitting in the middle of his cell facing the bars that keep him inside. Suddenly, he sees Esdeath standing there, and she has a tray in her hands. "I brought you some food, Tatsumi.", she says as she opens the cell door and comes inside. As she closes the door behind her, Tatsumi just looks at the ground, not wanting to speak with Esdeath. She sits the tray on the ground in front of him before sitting a few feet away from him. He doesn't even look at the food, he just looks at the ground, not saying even a word. "Tatsumi...you have to eat...", Esdeath says in a worried tone as she crawls over to his tray. On the tray he has a bowl of beef stew, a small bowl of pudding, and even a plate of rice formed into the shape of a hill with a flag with his face on it on top. She takes the spoon in his beef stew and scoops out a spoon full and raises it up to him before saying, "I made this all myself... It's really good, won't you at least try it?" He doesn't seem to notice her attempt at all and just keeps the same blank stare on his face. She puts the food back in its bowl and sighs. "I can't believe that he's in a relationship with another woman. Was I not bold enough with my actions, did I not give it my all? I have to find a way to win him over, even if he is with another woman! I'll take him away from her if I can!!", Esdeath thinks as she sits on her knees with her hands in her lap. "Tatsumi, I'm telling you again, if you join me, all your past charges will be erased. You'll be released from here immediately and be able to serve under me without any restrictions. I've already made the arrangements. But if you keep refusing, you'll be publicly executed as a terrorist and a traitor to the Empire. Do you not understand?", she says trying one more time to get him to join her. "And I'm telling you again, I don't want to live in an Empire this corrupt. I'd rather be executed for my beliefs then live a lie like that.", Tatsumi replies, not even glancing up at her. "Why don't you understand? I just-", she begins to say before Tatsumi cuts her off by saying, "What don't I understand!? That you'd rather live in this corrupt world and allow people like Wild Hunt run wild in the streets, butchering the citizens just for some kicks!? Or that you'd like to take a stroll down the battlefield, chopping off heads left and right!?! I should have known better than to try to change you. The way you grew up and how you've lived so far, you might as well be a monster." "I just want to protect YOU!!!", she shouts in frustration as she hears him call her a monster. "Why can't I reach you, Tatsumi!? I've tried my hardest to win you over, but still it isn't nearly enough is it!?! I'm just some monster that serves a corrupt government that toys with its people, right!?! RIGHT!?!", Esdeath shouts as tears start to well up in her eyes. She starts to laugh a little before saying, "We could run away, like you suggested the first night we were together. Just you and me, we can leave this Empire tonight! How about that!?" "I've already told you, I have a girlfriend..!", Tatsumi replies sternly, still not making any attempt to look up at her. "If you just give it a chance, I know I can love you more than she ever could, Tatsumi!! Just give me a chance, that's all I'm asking!!!", she shouts as she rises up to her knees and puts her hand over her chest, almost begging at this point. "I won't betray my comrades and I won't betray her trust.", he replies as his murderous intent starts to leak from his body at the thought of her trying to force him to leave Mine. She just grabs her heart as she hears his rejection one more time before saying, "Tatsumi..." Before she can try anything else to get him to be her's, she sees light start to pour in from the window behind her. She turns to see the sunrise and says, "It's already dawn..." "My answer won't change, Esdeath. I refuse to betray my comrades just for the sake of survival. And I care for her too deeply to betray her trust and leave her for another woman.", Tatsumi says to her as he finally looks up to her with a murderous glare. She gets a saddened look on her face as soon as she sees him glaring at her before saying, "...I see." She looks down at the ground as a single tear drop rolls down her right cheek before standing up. She clenches her fists in frustration and says, "I'm sorry Tatsumi, but I have my orders... I still care for you, even now, so I won't let anyone else do this. If you are to die, it'll be by my hands. You will be publicly executed, make peace with your God." And as she finishes, she leaves him alone in his cell and walks alone down the hallway, tears starting to run uncontrollably down her face.

With Tatsumi sealing his own fate, this chapter is eliminated. Will Esdeath be able to execute Tatsumi as her orders tell her to, or will her blade falter at the sight of her lover's face? What will happen now that Budo has ascended and joined Night Raid? Will he become the greatest assassin of them all, or will he be used for what his body type is meant for, war? And what plan does Minazuki have up his sleeve for dealing with Great General Hitzugaea, now that he's ascended to the same level as him? Keep reading and you just might find out. Next chapter, Chapter Thirty Five: Salvation.