Somewhere beyond the mountains south of the capital, a mid-sized village stood, now serving as the headquarters of the Revolutionary Army.
Akame's weary eyes locked onto the sight ahead—rows of soldiers moving through the village, carrying out their duties with hardened expressions. She let out a quiet sigh and pressed forward, but her mind remained tangled in Garou's words. He wasn't their enemy. She believed him. The idea that he could be lying wasn't impossible, but what would be the point? Someone like him, with the overwhelming strength he had demonstrated, didn't need deception. If he had wanted them dead, they wouldn't be standing here. And yet, would the others see it that way? Would they accept it, or would they keep antagonizing him until it was too late? The thought of her comrades charging headfirst into a fight they couldn't win sent a cold weight settling in her chest.
Lost in her thoughts, she almost didn't notice the approaching soldiers until one of them called out.
"Identify yourself! Who are you, and why are you here?"
Akame pushed aside her worries for now. She would report to Najenda first—she would decide what to do from there. Looking up at the soldier, she replied evenly, "I'm Akame from Night Raid. I'm here to report to the leaders on behalf of General Najenda."
The soldiers straightened immediately, their demeanor shifting to respect. "Please, Miss Akame, follow me," the leader said.
As she stepped into the village, Akame's sharp gaze swept over her surroundings. Soldiers—only soldiers. The houses bore signs of battle, their walls cracked and splattered with dried blood. The scent of iron still lingered in the air. People had died here.
"Please wait here for a moment," her escort said before stepping forward alone.
Akame didn't have to wait long before another man approached. He carried himself with the confidence of someone higher in the chain of command.
"Miss Akame, it's great to finally meet you. I've heard much about you and your work," he said, offering a practiced smile. "I am Saki, one of the guards protecting the leadership. I will escort you inside. Please, follow me."
Minutes later, they arrived at the village's center, where the main command building stood. Inside, a handful of men sat around a large wooden table, their discussions quieting as Akame stepped forward. One of them turned to her.
"Why did Najenda send you to report in her place?" he asked, his tone unreadable.
Without hesitation, Akame launched into her report, detailing everything—the plan to deceive the Jaegers, the battle, the crushing defeat at Garou's hands, and their desperate retreat. She held nothing back except for her second encounter with Garou. That was something she needed to think through first.
By the time she finished, silence hung thick in the room. The men exchanged grim looks before one of them slammed his fist against the table.
"We spent too many resources on this mission, and you still failed! How could you be so useless?!" he barked.
"Calm yourself," another leader interjected. "They did their best, and some of them even died. The presence of that monster was unexpected… as if Esdeath alone wasn't enough."
"You can return," a third man spoke, his voice level but firm. "Tell Najenda to recover for now and wait for further orders. Soon, we will be sending aid and doctors to your current location, so ensure to remain there and be prepared for their arrival."
Akame nodded, understanding that the conversation was over. She followed Saki back outside, the meeting didn't go as she expected, the reaction of the men weighed heavily on her.
Saki glanced at her as they walked. "I know this won't change anything, but… for what it's worth, I'm sorry for your losses."
Akame merely nodded in response. Words wouldn't bring anyone back.
As they neared the village entrance, she finally broke her silence.
"I have a question."
Saki turned to her. "Please, ask."
"This village… what exactly happened here?"
Saki's expression darkened for a moment before he sighed. "This was a loyalist village, fully dedicated to the Empire. We tried to talk them down, to make them see reason, but they refused. They fought us instead."
Akame felt a chill creep up her spine. "You killed them all?"
Saki exhaled, his face unreadable. "We had no choice. If they had reported our location, the Empire would have wiped us out. It was either them or us." He shook his head. "It's tragic, but sacrifices are necessary if we want a better future. Some innocents will die, but as long as we win, it won't be in vain."
Akame watched as he turned and walked back into the village. She stood there for a long moment, staring at the blood-stained ground.
They had fought to rid the world of corruption, to free people from the Empire's tyranny. But now, here they were, slaughtering villagers who refused to join their cause.
She understood their reasoning. But was it really acceptable?
She and her friends had given everything for the revolution. They had sacrificed so much in the name of a better future. But if the innocent wouldn't be there to see it, then what was the point?
Akame clenched her fists.
She knew what she was. Not a hero. Not noble. Just a killer. An assassin. The weight of her sins pressed down on her shoulders like a phantom she could never escape. She had told herself that she fought for a cause greater than herself, that her actions had meaning.
But Garou's words echoed in her mind relentlessly.
She had dismissed them at first—his claim that she and her comrades were nothing more than tools, mere pawns in someone else's game. She had been angry. Insulted.
But now… now she wasn't so sure.
With that thought weighing heavily on her mind, Akame turned and walked away, still questioning if the path she followed was truly her own.
_______________________
Garou leaned against a wooden post, arms crossed, watching the training grounds. The air was filled with the sound of rhythmic pounding of feet against packed dirt as the children ran their laps, sweat glistening on their brows. Despite their exhaustion, they pushed forward with determined expressions. Along with them, the royal guards ran as well, keeping pace with the little emperor. It was an amusing sight—hardened warriors following the child ruler's lead, not out of duty alone but a strange sense of camaraderie.
Garou exhaled through his nose, shifting his gaze slightly.
"Budo," he called, his tone neutral yet commanding.
The imposing general, who had been trailing the young emperor's movements like a silent shadow, turned his attention to Garou. "What is it?"
"Ever heard of a purple light that teleports people over long distances or even different worlds?" Garou asked, keeping his voice casual.
Budo furrowed his brows, repeating Garou's words under his breath"A purple light... teleportation..." He crossed his arms, his golden gauntlets glinting under the sun. "You must be talking about Shambhala."
Garou raised an eyebrow. "Shambhala?"
Budo gave a curt nod. "A Teigu. The only one with a space manipulation ability. It allows its user to teleport themselves or others over great distances. But its true trump card is said to be much more. Legends claim it can send people to an entirely different world."
A glint flickered in Garou's eyes at that. "Where is it?" His voice was calm, but there was an undeniable edge to it.
Budo studied Garou for a moment, curiosity evident in his gaze. The man was a mystery, an anomaly that had torn through expectations and left chaos in his wake. And despite all of their effort, they still don't know where Garou came from or why is he here. Although Budo was curious about Garou's purpose, he decided against prying into it.
"The Teigu is in the hands of the Prime Minister's son," he finally said. After a brief pause, his face darkened remembering that man, he then continued "Though no one has seen him in nearly a year. He left the capital, and his whereabouts remain unknown."
Garou's expression twisted into a frown. "Tch." He clicked his tongue in irritation before exhaling sharply through his nose. "Fine. Let me know if he turns up—or better yet, track him down."
Budo inclined his head. "Very well, I will send some men to look into it when we go back to the palace."
There was a brief silence before Garou nodded. "Thanks."
Budo blinked. He had expected a demand, a curt order—maybe even an offhand remark, but certainly not gratitude. The surprise must have been visible on his face because Garou narrowed his eyes in response.
"What?" the martial artist muttered, already annoyed.
Budo coughed into his fist. "Nothing, just… didn't expect a thank you from you."
Garou's brow twitched. "The hell's that supposed to mean? You think I don't have manners? I'm a civilized person"
Budo almost chuckled but wisely kept it to himself. "Of course," he said, nodding as if that settled everything. "I will inform you once we have something."
Garou scoffed, turning his attention back to the training grounds. "Yeah, you do that."
The two of them went silent, both of them now focusing on the group training in front of them. But Garou's thoughts were about the Teigu. If it really could send people to another world... then maybe, just maybe, he had found his lead.