Chapter 149: Syura's Sneak Attack and the Self-Destruction of a Teigu

"Ugh, who goes there?" Akame burst backward. Just before she was about to strike Kurome, a dagger silently materialized behind her. Even though she managed to react and dodge away from her heart just in time, the dagger completely pierced through her right shoulder. The immense pain and shock caused her to drop Murasame, the blade she never parted with, to the ground.

"Well, well, well. Is this the famous assassin Akame? Why is she so weak, unable to even dodge a short blade?" a man's arrogant and mocking voice rang out from behind.

Akame turned to look and saw a young, muscular man. Bronze-toned, sturdy muscles bulged across his frame, and right in the center of his face was a large, pinkish-white cross-shaped pattern, accompanied by a disdainful smile.

"Your subordinates from Night Raid were hunted down and killed one by one in the Imperial Capital, making me lose a lot of face in front of my father and His Majesty. This debt has to be settled. Oh, that's right, the name is Syura, and I am the Prime Minister's son. Ahahaha!"

The man broke into a wild laugh, his gaze scanning Akame and Kurome without any restraint, full of greedy and possessive desire.

Seeing his gaze, Kurome smiled with a pale face, "Do you want to make a move on me as well? Our captain is not far away! I wonder if he would dare to slay you, the Prime Minister's son?"

"Indeed. Coming here all by myself, even if I were killed by Sister Esdeath, no one would ever know. However, right now there are three other monsters fiercely engaging her in battle over there, so she simply cannot spare a hand to come here, let alone know that I've been here," Syura said with an evil, charming smile.

"Sister, can you still fight? It's been a long time since we fought side by side. Even though both you and I are currently wounded and weak, as long as we are together, we can get through this crisis just the same." Kurome smiled sincerely, recalling the tacit understanding and mutual support from their past days of training and facing enemies together.

"My right hand can't exert any strength for the moment, and I'm not very used to wielding the blade with my left hand. My combat capability has dropped by about forty percent." Akame pulled out the dagger, tossed it away, flicked the tip of her foot to send Murasame into the air, and reached out with her left hand to catch it, trying a couple of test swings.

"Truly two resilient and beautiful flowers. I want to possess you both even more now, even if it's just your bodies. I hope you can give me some pleasure, whether in combat or in other aspects. Ahahaha!"

Laughing loudly, he had already initiated his attack. Having traveled widely since childhood, he had set foot in the Western Kingdom, the Southern Islands, and the Northern Frozen Tundra, with only the uncivilized Eastern Island Nation being the sole place he had failed to visit. During his travels, he absorbed the strengths of various martial arts from different nations and forged a formidable martial prowess for himself.

Though not quite at the very peak, unable to match the four pinnacle powerhouses over there, and falling somewhat short compared to Akame at her best, the gap was not wide. Facing the combined attack of Akame, who was operating at only fifty to sixty percent of her full capacity, and a weakened Kurome, he moved with ease and held the upper hand.

"Leone, have you not finished off Bols yet?" Najenda rushed over from her own battlefield, having disposed of her opponent first. This operation involved all their forces, and they could not afford to return empty-handed; at least one enemy had to be left behind.

"Boss, his flames are too troublesome. Once they touch you, they simply won't shake off, and he can use them at both long and short ranges. His reaction speed keeps up with my movements, making him extremely tricky," Leone said with a grin.

"Pincer attack from both sides. End this as quickly as possible; delays bring changes."

...

"Ah—" In a very short span of time, Leone finally seized an opening. "Tch, this thing really can't be eaten after all."

"To think... she crushed the Teigu." Bols's face, hidden behind his mask, was filled with shock.

"That way, that Teigu can no longer be used, right?" Najenda and Leone blocked the path ahead and behind him.

"Indeed, it cannot be used anymore." Bols decisively discarded the flamethrower in his hand, hoisting the energy storage tank he had been carrying on his back high into the air. "Then... let it completely perish." Bols hurled it high up into the sky.

"No..." Najenda's expression changed drastically.

"Could it be..." Leone wore a look of alarm.

Bols pulled out a button and pressed it without a moment's hesitation. Instantly, the energy storage tank thrown into the air lit up as brightly as the sun.

"What?" Everyone fighting nearby halted their actions, dodging the heat wave and shockwave generated by this super explosion.

Meanwhile, Najenda and Leone right at the center, as well as Akame on the periphery of the blast radius, failed to escape the scope of the detonation.

"That abnormal super explosion just now was the self-detonation of Rubicante. To think even Bols was taken out. Sister, how are you holding up?" Kurome was pulled out of the blast zone just before the explosion by one of Yatsufusa's puppets, which had been constantly guarding her side.

Suddenly, Kurome, already weak, grimaced in pain and clutched her forehead, "It's all used up. Time... is running out."

...

"Huh, why did they suddenly stop moving?" The powerhouses, drawn in by the distant explosion from earlier, regained their composure. Hong Meiling had originally intended to resume their bout, but she discovered that the youth, who possessed the strongest martial arts other than herself, had suddenly become as motionless as if he had fallen into a deep slumber, leaving behind zero presence.

"That just now was the self-detonation of Bols's Teigu. Could Bols not hold on any longer? As expected, it was because he was weak after all." Esdeath withdrew her gaze and looked toward the youth, who stood frozen like a statue. "I wonder how many people will be saved from this?"

Right in the center of the explosion, a brilliant diamond wall stood tall, measuring one zhang high and three chi thick.

"Are you alright?" The back of Qi's body showed intermingling scorch marks and crystalline diamond radiance. The person he was currently addressing was the young maiden cradled safely in his arms—the black-haired, red-eyed Akame.

Akame shook her head, "What about Kurome? And is everyone else alright?"

Qi flashed a toothy grin, "No one died. As for you, if you hadn't crushed the diamond bead, I almost wouldn't have noticed you were within the blast zone."

"Even caught in the fallout, it wouldn't be fatal, but the center of the explosion seemed centered around Leone's location." Concern flickered in Akame's eyes; surviving the dead center of such a massive explosion was unlikely.

"Yare yare, we almost died." Leone walked over, twisting her arms with her signature cheerful smile. "Don't worry, both the Boss and I crushed our crystal beads and were protected by the ultra-strong crystal wall. However, I couldn't find Bols's body; I wonder if he turned to ashes or managed to escape?"

"An explosion like this has a wide radius, but its destructive power isn't excessively high. Bols must have prepared in advance and likely escaped. Go find Lubbock; he set up a barrier in the surrounding area, so he should be able to track down Bols's whereabouts." Najenda walked over as well.

"Even from such a long distance, you were able to run over in time? What a terrifying man." Syura looked down from a distant cliff, wearing an expression of displeasure.

"He is the Prime Minister's son. If not for his interference, I would have already... slain Kurome." Akame clutched her right shoulder, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Ahahaha, what a pity, two preys about to fall into my hands are going to fly away. How uninteresting, I'm taking my leave now." Syura pulled out a formation-plate-like gemstone and vanished in an instant.

"A spatial-type Teigu. Even among Teigu, it stands at the absolute peak." Najenda patted her pocket, only to find she had run out of cigarettes.

"I am quite interested in his Teigu," Qi said with a smile. "You guys go on chasing Bols and Kurome; the battle on my end isn't finished yet."

...

"You're back. How many died?" Esdeath asked with a half-smile. Having kept her eyes fixed on Qi all along, she had already noticed the sleeping body twitch slightly.

"Unfortunately, it seems neither Night Raid nor the Jaegers lost a single person. Shall we continue our sparring?" Qi's expression remained calm, making it impossible for Esdeath to discern the truth of his words.

"This old man is satisfied for now. I still need to go check on my disciple's condition, so I'll take my leave." The martial arts master burst into a hearty laugh, turned around, and walked away.

"I haven't had my fill of fighting yet. Let's go another round!" As a ayakashi (youkai), her concept of time differed from that of humans. Living for hundreds or thousands of years, sleeping for ten days to half a month was completely normal to her. A mere bout lasting half an incense stick's time was simply not enough to satisfy her appetite.

"Sister Esdeath, long time no see. If you happen to need a quiet battleground, I can provide one for you! The venue is huge, and it's a great place where absolutely no one will disturb you."

Syura's voice once again echoed down from an even higher mountain peak in the distance. Only, the sinister undertone woven into his words was glaringly obvious.

*(Short by five votes; not sure if we can reach the target by tonight. An extra six hundred words dedicated in thunderous applause to the esteemed author 'Oh Actually I'm an Na'. This is both my honor and your footprint.)*