I've only been in Night Raid for a couple weeks now and I've noticed how much stronger I've become. Training with Akame isn't as easy as it sounds. She's blunt when it comes to critiquing me. My first day of training, finally I got away from Leone, she even made me change my fighting stance to better suit me. It worked, but I had to learn a whole new battle style. It's been constant training everyday. Najenda left about a week ago to head to the Revolutionary HQ to find me a weapon that would suit me. I'm not like some of the others around here, I study the way my opponent moves, attacks, and thinks. Once I can figure out the way they fight, I can win easily. I haven't even gotten close to beating Akame in a swordfight. Thankfully we're only using wooden swords otherwise, I'd be dead. She's too powerful for anyone to defeat. I think even the Empire's strongest would have a problem trying to defeat her. She hardly talks though. She only moves my body into the position it needs to be in. I seem to have won over her trust though, I just wish she would talk more.
Today is different though. She finally said something and said that I have to fight to get stronger. She has nothing left to teach me. Even without an Imperial Arms like the others, I can hold my own against other users...except Akame. We didn't even do anything today. She tossed me a broom and said do the chores. I watch her as she disappears into another room. So, my training is done with her? I learned a lot, but I still want to learn from her. She has so many techniques and abilities, I want to learn at least some of them.
I finished the chores and had a great time at dinner. Akame cooked a massive meal like usual. She quietly ate and left the table. Leone sat a little close to me like usual and Lubbock just glared at me from across the table. Bulat was talking about how strong I've become since I came here. He's a great fighter. He used to fight in the Empire's army before he came to Night Raid. I'm glad that he's on our side. His Incursio is incredibly strong, but that Wave guy looks like he is a step ahead of Incursio. They're almost exactly the same with the exception of Wave's being blue and black. I haven't seen the full abilities of Wave, but I can see that he isn't someone to be trifled with. Mine still hasn't fully accepted me into Night Raid. She's nice when she needs to be, but when she comes across me, she just waves me off like I'm nothing to her. I don't really want to anger her since she can kill me from a long distance. Pumpkin is extremely strong up close and at a distance. I wouldn't want to be in her sights or on the receiving end of Pumpkin. One shot will kill you most of the time.
After helping Bulat clean the dishes I start heading up to my room. Leone stops me halfway there.
"Hey!" She puts me in a headlock. That's how she stops me everyday, "Wanna have some fun?"
"Leone!" I blush, "Come on! You ask this every night. I'm not looking for love while I'm here." I get out of her headlock and rub my jaw. She kind of hit my jaw on that one, "I'm here to train and fight the Empire."
"I get that." She smiles, "I'll get you one day! See you tomorrow!"
She's one strange person. I like her a lot, but I want to make the world safe before I want to find that special someone. I shake my head and clear it. I just need some rest. I hope Najenda finds the right weapon for me. I want to help Night Raid, but I can't really do that when the Jaegers are making moves. They're too strong for me to take on and with Anna fighting with them, I can't bring myself to fight her. I've heard she's got an incredibly powerful Teigu that she made; or she finished it while in one of the Empire's dungeons.
*****
My room shakes in the middle of the night. I thought it was Leone having a temper tantrum, but I heard feet outside in the hallway. I quickly get dressed and grab my sword. We might be under attack! I storm out into the hallway coming face to face with a woman. She looks at me with crazed eyes and I quickly stab her through her head. I made it quick and painless, however, it didn't even look like it fazed her. She stands back up and unsheathes two swords. How the Hell did these people find the hideout? I block the attacks she sends after me and I get a feel how she fights. No hesitation, no remorse, and she has no mind. I parry her next blow and cut her hand off. I grab her other wrist and stab the sword through the wall. I swiftly swing my sword and her head hits the floor. I look around to see if anyone else is around. I feel something hit the floor below me. I cut through the floor and land on the floor below. I see Leone pounding away at a group of people, but she's surrounded. She may heal fast, but that doesn't mean she can still die.
I dive forward and quickly pull away some of the group. I'm surrounded by a small group of four. I block the person in front of me, but I feel slices down my arms and back as the others attack. I'm not meant to take on four at once! I jump over the person in front of me and slice him in half. I'm glad my sword is still able to cut through bone. I stand in front of the other three and try to get a grip on my mind. I haven't been in a real fight in a while and my adrenaline is rushing too fast. I have to calm down and calm my mind. I take a deep breath and breathe out. I hold my sword out in front of me and watch the blood trickle onto my hands. The people in front of me show no emotion. They aren't even human! They bleed like human's though! I think back on Akame's training and flash forward. I cut all their hands off and spin on my heel. I stab one through the back and sever his spine. I turn and kick the next person hard enough in the jaw to snap their neck. I'm tackled to the ground by the next person to see a gun in their mouth. I dodge the shot and kick them off of me. Before they could get up, I stab them through the head only to feel a bullet strike my shoulder. The woman fired off one last shot. The lucky bitch! I turn to Leone who's already finished with her group. She was sitting down watching me fight. I guess she wanted to see my training.
Akame dives through the hole I made in the roof and still wearing her pajamas. A bloodied mess follows her through. She killed that many people.
"You're hurt." Akame says poking my shoulder. She turns around and sees the people I killed, "You did good."
"Thank you!" I nod in pain, "These aren't regular people are they?"
"They're stronger and some are more machine than human." Akame says.
"How did they find us?" Leone shows up next to me.
"They probably have spies all around the woods." I say, "If so, we need to patrol more."
"We need to get to the others!" Leone crashes through a window and Akame follows.
I look out the window to see a massive army ahead. Bulat is down there dispatching masses of people at a time. I'm glad that we have powerful people in Night Raid. We can take on a whole army! I jump down after Leone and Akame and roll on the ground. I'm not cut out for falling from a high place yet. I get up and fall in next to Bulat. I watch his sides as he cuts a path through the attackers. I see Lubbock ahead and he's surrounded on all sides. He's a bloodied mess and that isn't the attacker's blood...that's his. He looks like he's about to collapse at any moment. I tap Bulat's shoulder and point ahead at Lubbock. He nods and throws me across the army. I land clumsily next to Lubbock and quickly start taking out anyone around us. I notice that the area is starting to clear up. We're doing it! I look behind me smiling, but quickly see that Lubbock fell on the ground and he's isn't moving. Furious, I go into a blind rage. I can't stand losing my friends!
When I regain my composure, I stand over Lubbock's body trying to wake him up. There's no pulse at all!
"Lubbock!" I pick him up, "Come on don't die!"
The air suddenly becomes heavy and I fall onto my back. I can't move! I spot movement in the mountains. That must be the leader of this army. I look in the air and spot a giant manta ray flying above us. A figure jumps down from the beast landing on the mountainside. I struggle to get up and pick up my sword. I take a step and fall back to the ground. My sword clamors next to me. I can't do anything! The ground shakes as a giant danger beast appears from the mountain. The figure that jumped down from the manta ray slams into the ground next to us.
"That would be our enemy." The weird looking man says, "I can't get to his main body alone. I'll create a distraction while you two kill him."
"I can't move!" I tell him.
"I'll carry you." Bulat says through his armor, "Whatever happened to the others, it's not happening to me. I'll get you up there."
I nod and feel him pick me up. At blinding speeds, we race up the danger beasts' arms with the man. The man blocks all the attacks that come at us while Bulat dodges those that he can. I watch as Bulat gets slammed in the side by a fist. He launches me towards the man who did this. I will kill him and avenge Lubbock! I hold my sword out and feel the blade cut off the man's head. I roll down the monster's back as it falls. I roll onto the ground and keep hold of my sword in any case I need to defend myself. I feel as though this fight is over and we've won. But we lost today as well. Not only did we lose Lubbock, we need to move. Finally after some time, I can move again. I look back at the monster to see if it would move again. Thankfully this fight is over. Whoever that mysterious man was, he helped out a lot.
I head back to the group stretching my aching muscles. I look at my wounds to find that they already stopped bleeding. They hurt a lot, but the bleeding stopped so that can be both good and bad. The giant beast lands and a girl with red hair and pink eyes jumps down along with Najenda and they take their place next to the weird man. I look back at Lubbock's body. Bloody from head to toe, he didn't go down without a fight. Bulat nods to Najenda and picks up his body and heads back to the base.
"We'll mourn later when this war is over." Najenda walks up to us, "We need to move on no matter the cost. We all knew the dangers of fighting against the Empire, even death. Would you die for our cause Ren?"
"Of course." I nod to her, "I want to make this world a better place for my family even if we're split."
"Then I would like to fully add you as part of the team." She holds out a blood red blade, "This is Yami, your new Teigu."
I stare at the blade and my heartbeat quickens. It's as if the blade is calling out to me. I grip the handle and grab the sheathe. I swing it around a few times. It's super light compared to the sword I've been using. I think I'm going to like this!
"What does it do?" I ask strapping the sword to my side.
"It's more of a defensive weapon." Najenda explains, "It lets you see how your opponents movements. If they are lucky to survive the fight with you, the blade remembers every opponent you fight. With the addition to it's abilities, it will increase your speed. Other than that, the rest is up to you."
"That's all fine and all," Mine pipes in, "but who are these people?"
"Allow me to introduce Chelsea and Susanoo." Najenda smiles, "They'll be helping us fight the Empire."
"Welcome." I say to them, "More allies and more friends."
"Ren," Najenda's tone gets cold, "meet me once your done here. I have some news for you."
****
"What did you need boss?" I walk into the forest clearing where Najenda's leaning against a tree smoking.
"It's about your sister." She puts out the cigarette, "We received a very detailed report on what she's been doing and this one came from a northern spy."
"What about her." I clench my fists and take a shaky breath, "Is she still with them?"
"She was attacked by a Teigu user and completely overpowered him with her strength." Najenda says, "That much we can see as a defensive measure, but afterwards, she proceeded to destroy the nearby village. I don't know if it was out of anger, her adrenaline rushing, or if she was ordered to do it. However you may see it, she's shown her true colors of fighting with the Empire. She is now considered an enemy of Night Raid and now a target. We'll be mobilizing soon so be ready for anything. That sword will help you fight her. Stay on the defensive and wait for the right moment. It'll be hard for you-"
"I'll do it." I tell her coldly, "If we're to end this war and make this world a better place, I'll kill her. I'm the one that should do it anyways. When do we move?"
"In a couple of months." She says walking away, "For now, we need to move to our next hideout. Look if you need to be alone for a while, I'll give you the location of the hideout and you can meet us there. I know it's a lot to take in. This war doesn't help family out too much."
"It's fine." I say not looking at her, "I'll get my things and help you move to the hideout. I want to help everyone out as much as I can."
And to help end this war before it tears me apart...