After the Revolutionary Army prisoners were brought back to the capital, they were immediately placed in the dungeons. The generals and top leaders, deemed the most dangerous, were given isolated cells to prevent any collusion or escape attempts. Their rebellion had ended, and now they awaited judgment.
Tatsumi wasted no time informing Leone and Akame about Najenda and Lubbock's condition. The Emperor, in an act of generosity, allowed them to meet with their friends one last time before their fates were decided. It was a bittersweet opportunity—one they approached with a heavy heart.
Their first stop was the shared cells, where Lubbock and several other captains and lieutenants of the Revolutionary Army were held. The moment they laid eyes on Lubbock, their expressions darkened. He sat against the cold stone wall, his usually carefree demeanor replaced with exhaustion and sorrow. His green hair was disheveled, and his once-playful smirk had long since faded.
Leone clenched her fists, unable to hold back her frustration. "What the hell were you all thinking? Attacking innocent villages? Since when did the revolution become about slaughtering the people you were supposed to protect?"
Lubbock let out a tired sigh, his gaze drifting to the damp floor. "Things changed after Honest died… The leaders were split between two groups—those who wanted power and those who were paranoid about the empire. Najenda was in the latter group. She thought the empire was lying about reforming and saw every action they took as manipulation." His voice grew quieter. "I couldn't leave her. No matter how wrong things got, I couldn't turn my back on her. If she was heading to her death, then I would follow her."
Tatsumi, Akame, and Leone exchanged pained glances. Even now, Lubbock's loyalty to Najenda remained strong.
Lubbock looked up at them. "She's not doing well. Please check on her."
They nodded silently and moved on to the isolated cells. When they reached Najenda's, they were met with a disheartening sight. The once-calm and composed leader of Nightraid was barely recognizable. Her remaining eye was sunken, a dark circle staining the skin beneath it. Her hair was unkempt, longer than usual, indicating her decline had started long before her capture.
As they approached, Najenda's dull eyes flickered with something sharp. "So, the traitors have come to gloat. Are you here to mock me after joining the vile empire?" Her voice dripped with bitterness, and there was no warmth left in her gaze.
Akame stepped forward, her expression sorrowful. "Najenda, the empire is changing for the better—"
"Spare me the nonsense," Najenda snapped. "They pardoned a treacherous killing tool like you. They gave light punishments to Esdeath and her team of mad killers. The empire hasn't changed—it's just wearing a different mask."
Akame flinched, pain flashing across her face. Leone gritted her teeth, her anger rising. "You know damn well Akame isn't some mindless killer! She exposed Honest's corruption! You know how much guilt she carries for every life lost." Leone's voice trembled with frustration. "And don't give me that crap about the Jaegers! I've met them—they're not monsters. Wave is a good guy who wants to protect people. Run joined to change the empire from within. Even Seryu, who used to blindly follow orders, has realized her mistakes and is trying to be better!"
Tatsumi stepped in, his voice firm. "This isn't the same empire anymore. I work with Wave every day. He's not some mindless soldier—he cares and thinks about the people's well being. The empire still has issues, but it's trying. We're trying to make things better."
Instead of being swayed, Najenda's expression only darkened. "Get out," she spat. "I don't want to hear any more of your traitorous drivel. You've all betrayed the revolution. You've betrayed me."
The trio looked at her one last time, but the wise and compassionate leader they once followed was gone. All that remained was a spiteful, broken woman, clinging to the past.
With heavy hearts, they turned and walked away, knowing there was nothing more they could say to bring her back.
Najenda continued to sit silently in her cell, her body worn and spirit fraying under the weight of her defeat. The visit from Tatsumi and the others had left her with more anger and hate. The idea that the Empire could change, that it could be anything but the oppressive monster she had fought against, seemed absurd. And yet, the conviction in their voices unsettled her.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the stone hallway. Najenda frowned. Another visitor? Her lone eye narrowed when she saw who stood before her cell door—Esdeath.
Hatred surged within her, her fingers curling into fists as she glared at the woman who had taken so much from her. "Why are you here?" she spat, her voice thick with hate.
Esdeath stood tall, her arms crossed as she took in Najenda's haggard appearance. Instead of answering, she simply observed her former comrade with an unreadable expression. "I expected you to be angry because of your defection that day, but this..." she tilted her head slightly, "you truly hate me, don't you?"
Najenda's fury only grew. "Are you here to play dumb? After everything you've done? You killed my men, you took my hand, my eye—! And you ask why I hate you?"
Esdeath blinked, her expression calm. "I always respected your intelligence, as you respected my strength. Just as I looked down on your weak mentality, you looked down on my brutal philosophy. That day, I let you go, hoping you would return stronger so we could have a true fight. I expected anger, but not this deep hatred. I wonder why?"
Silence fell between them. Najenda's breath was ragged, her emotions tangled in a storm of bitterness and exhaustion. Esdeath's words carried no mockery, no amusement—only a quiet curiosity.
Najenda bit her lip. Yes, she felt anger toward esdeath, she also feared Esdeath. Pitied her, even. But when had she started feeling nothing but hate towards her?
Esdeath continued, her voice strangely calm, almost thoughtful. "After meeting Garou, I began to reconsider my ideology. His very existence rejected everything I believed in. For the first time, I met someone who was truly powerful beyond my reach, yet had no interest in cruelty or dominance. I loved him but he didn't approve of me—" her lips quirked in something almost like a self-deprecating smile "—and it made me wonder if I was wrong."
Najenda stared at her, momentarily at a loss for words. This wasn't the Esdeath she knew. There was no smugness, no arrogance. There was only sincerity, an unsettling shift in the woman she had come to despise.
Esdeath let out a soft sigh. "I don't know what to do next in my life. So, I decided to try something different, to be different—to see what else I was blind to. And that starts with acknowledging what I've done. I came here to say that I'm sorry for humiliating you that day."
Najenda's eye widened slightly. It wasn't just the words—it was the tone. There was no grand speech, no attempt to justify her actions. Just a simple, quiet apology.
Before Najenda could find her voice, Esdeath turned on her heel. "That's all I came for,"
She walked away without looking back.
Najenda sat in silence, staring at the cold stone floor beneath her feet. Her emotions were a tangled mess, her hatred suddenly feeling… misplaced.
She remembered how furious she had been when Esdeath was first defeated by Garou, only for him to let her go without harming her. How Esdeath, despite everything, continued to thrive while she herself lost her men and became a cripple. She had told herself she hated Esdeath because of her cruelty, her brutality—but now, an uncomfortable realization settled within her.
She wasn't just angry at Esdeath.
She was jealous.
She had suffered because she had refused to be part of the Empire's evil, while Esdeath, who had embraced it fully, had faced so few consequences. The world was unfair.
And she hated that most of all.
______________________
The day of reckoning had arrived.
It didn't take long for the fate of the prisoners to be decided. The verdict was clear—public execution. One by one, the revolutionaries were dragged from the dungeons, their chains rattling against the stone floor as they were marched toward their final destination.
When it was Najenda's turn, two figures came for her: the young Emperor himself and the towering General Budo. At the sight of them, Najenda's single eye narrowed slightly, surprised by their presence. The Emperor's face held no contempt, no gloating—only sadness and pity.
"I was hoping…" the Emperor spoke softly, his voice tinged with regret. "I was hoping that you would rejoin the Empire… that you could become a force for good." He looked down, clenching his small fists. "I truly feel sorry that this is how it ends."
Najenda closed her eye, exhaling a slow breath. "I brought this upon myself," she admitted. Her voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable weight behind her words. "I was so convinced the Empire could never change… that I never even tried to see the truth."
The Emperor looked up at her. "I will do everything in my power to make sure the future is different. No more corruption. No more senseless bloodshed. Justice will guide the Empire forward." He hesitated before bowing his head slightly. "Thank you for fighting against the darkness that once plagued us. I know what you and your people have done."
For the first time in a long while, a small, tired smile formed on Najenda's lips. She studied the boy who had once been a mere puppet, now standing with conviction. "You're a much better ruler than I ever thought you could be," she admitted. "Perhaps… you will truly bring a brighter future."
Budo stepped forward, unlocking her cell. Chains clanked as she was freed, though she made no attempt to resist. As she was led out, the young Emperor closed his eyes, recalling the day he had faced his own execution in another lifetime. Now, the roles were reversed. He couldn't help but wonder—could this have ended differently? Was there truly no other way?
With a sigh, he followed them outside.
That day, the leaders of the Revolutionary Army were executed one by one. Lubbock had gone first. His lifeless body lay on the ground, his vibrant green hair unmistakable even in death. Najenda stared at the body in sorrow, he was the only one to stay with her no matter what, she wished if she could have one last conversation with him. But it was too late now.
When it was finally her turn, Najenda walked with dignity, her gaze calm as she ascended the execution platform. Her eye swept across the gathered crowd before landing on three familiar figures standing just below.
Tatsumi. Leone. Akame.
The trio watched in silence, sadness etched into their expressions. Despite everything she did and said, they are still showing sadness for her and in her final moments, they came—if only as witnesses.
Najenda gave them a small smile, whispering a soft, barely audible, "Thank you."
Then, the blade fell.
Her head rolled onto the platform, and her body collapsed lifelessly beside it. The cheers of the crowd mixed with the quiet, grief-stricken sighs of those who had once called her their leader.
Najenda, leader of Nightraid, was no more.