General Esdeath,
your victory over the northern race was outstanding.
We have prepared ten thousand gold pieces as your reward.
Thank you.
I shall send them to the soldiers I left in the North.
They will rejoice.
Esdeath has no interest in authority or politics whatsoever.
She lives only to fight and conquer the enemy.
Thus, I can leave her to do as she pleases while I rule the kingdom from the shadows.
Everyone wins.
What a perfect hand to be dealt.
Now that I have returned to the capital,
my next task will be to locate Night Raid, the thorn in Your Majesty's side,
and eliminate them without delay.
A formidable endeavor.
Should you succeed, mere gold would not be enough to repay you.
Is there anything else you desire?
Let me see.
If I may...
Yes?
I was thinking I'd like to fall in love.
Is that so?
Indeed, you are of age and still unmarried.
Then allow me to offer some options.
What do you think of the Prime Minister?
Majesty!
As much I appreciate it,
with the Prime Minister's high blood pressure, he may not live to see tomorrow.
How rude!
I am in perfect health.
But very well. What type would interest you, General?
I have very specific standards.
There are likely not many who fit my criteria.
I shall note down my preferences and present them to you in due course.
I hid my love deep inside me
kokoro ni kakushiteta omoi
We stumble in search of courage through the night
shizuka ni kotoba de kizande
Now is the time to put it into words
fumidasu tesaguri na asu he
without doubt and weakness in your eyes
tsuyoku mayoi nai hitomi de
I want to be able to accept whatever may come
donna mirai demo uketomeru watashi de itakute
I can no longer turn back
ima wa mou furimukanai
I surrender myself to the instincts inside me to survive
hashiru shoudou ni makasete hirogaru sekai he
and continue to believe that answers await me in the chaos
kawaru unmei ni kotae ga aru to shinjite
There was a time when I could describe my dreams clear as water,
ano hi senmei ni egaita kawaranai yume wa
and now they will rise from the ruins of my heart
umeta genkai mo kanarazu koete yuku kara
You will hear my indomitable voice
yuruginai koe ni shite todokeru kitto
until we reach our goal
itsuka tadoritsuku sono toki made
Kill the Three
— Part One —
Mine...
I can eat on my own.
It'll get cold.
Fine.
Even after Sheele's death,
Akame is as calm as always.
And worse, the one who took her life
was that girl.
I'm starting to truly understand how painful this line of work can be.
Indeed, it is strange that I would find interest in something other than conflict and slaughter.
Ah, is this about love?
Even I am perplexed.
However, I cannot do anything about my own feelings.
As a living being, it's natural to be interested in the opposite sex.
Though the word "love" doesn't suit you at all.
I understand.
Then this too is an animal instinct, I suppose.
Well, for now, I'll simply take my pleasure in hunting Night Raid.
About that...
I have quite a good idea.
I have a new directive for the three of you.
As you command, Lady Esdeath.
We three are your loyal servants.
We'll accept any order at any time!
Very well.
Jeez, it's cold.
I can't sleep at all.
Maybe some water will help.
Akame?
A midnight snack?
No.
This was one of Sheele's favorites.
So it's an offering for the departed.
Since we work from the shadows,
Sheele's name will probably never appear in the Revolutionary Army's records.
That's why I will remember as much as I can about her.
She may have been clumsy,
but she was the kindest of all of us.
I know.
She used to bring flowers to Sayo and Ieyasu's graves.
Yeah.
But...
You're amazing, Akame.
You're so composed, even after losing a friend.
I guess you're used to it.
I can't even—
Composed?
Used to it?
Akame?
It's true.
I've seen many lives fall before me.
However...
I had a close friend taken from me!
How could anyone get used to this pain?
But I can't let my emotions interfere with the mission.
That's why I act like I'm fine!
We work in the shadows.
If I couldn't switch gears, what good would I be?
And this... This is "composed" to you?
E-Even I...
Ever since Sheele died, I...
I...
I've never seen Akame so shaken.
Though, come to think of it...
She also worried about me on my first mission, didn't she?
What the hell am I doing?
I have to keep it together!
Being miserable won't bring Sheele back!
I have to face forward like a man!
Besides, this may be dirty work, but money is money.
At least I'll be able to provide for my village until the revolution.
I have people I want to make happy.
Wh-What was that?
Are you all right, Tatsumi?
That was my way of switching gears.
Don't worry about me.
Anyway, I'm sorry, Akame.
That was thoughtless of me.
Let me promise you again:
I will not die!
I vow never to make you grieve!
Tatsumi...
We'll usher in a new kingdom with smiles on everyone's faces.
Yeah. You're right.
Damn it!
O-One more time, Akame!
Maybe you should rest a bit.
How can I rest at a time like this?
Didn't I tell you?
Treat this like a real battle, and fight me!
Here I come!
What are you doing, Bro?
In a real battle, you must always be mindful of your surroundings.
You never know where an enemy might be hiding.
You seem unusually pumped up today.
What's the deal?
It's nothing.
I just want to get stronger.
I made a promise to Akame.
I promised I'd survive, no matter what!
Tatsumi...
You've learned quite a lot, haven't you?
You've really grown.
All right, then!
Allow me to be your opponent.
I'll train the hell out of you!
Bro!
No one beats my polemanship!
What's wrong, Tatsumi?
Being pumped won't keep you alive!
Right!
Now, come at me!
Good luck.
It seems this village is suffering too.
Is a nation's foremost duty not to its people?
And it's out of concern for these people
that you are returning to that snake's nest of a capital.
I'm proud of you, Father.
I can't stay in retirement while the people suffer like this.
I intend to fight that minister to the very end.
And I will protect you, Father!
You've become a fine woman.
Though I wonder if you've grown too headstrong to find a suitor.
Th-That has nothing to do with anything!
Wh-What was that?
More bandits?
Just how far has public order crumbled?
I'll handle them as I did the others!
Keep your guard up!
Daidara?
Yeah.
Here we go!
He's way too strong!
Not bad, lady.
But when you find out what I've got in store for you,
you'll probably wish you were dead.
Y-You're soldiers from the capital.
Indeed.
And let me say that I deeply admire your political accomplishments.
Th-Then why do you assail me?
Because, in the end...
our master's orders are absolute.
We took out fifteen people, eh?
All right! The more experience I gain, the stronger I'll become!
Spread the flyers.
Couldn't the prime minister have taken a more direct approach?
Why not just frame his political opponents like usual?
That approach won't work for civil officials under Commander-in-Chief Budou's protection.
Man, that was fun!
Nyau, stop playing around.
I hope you put her out of her misery.
Don't worry. She died from shock while I was still skinning her.
Your methods are as grisly as ever, I see.
Mission complete.
Let us return.
Punishment from Heaven by Night Raid
Thank you all for coming.
I have some bad news.
Esdeath has conquered the North and returned to the capital.
Leone,
travel to the capital and observe her actions.
Roger!
I've always wanted to see what kind of person she is.
She's a dangerous sadist with a taste for carnage.
Be on your guard.
All right, all right.
Which means...
She's someone I can knock off if I get the chance, huh?
That raging sadist of a general is renowned as the capital's strongest.
Killing her would be as good as bringing down the minister.
Furthermore,
ever since Esdeath reappeared,
political officials have been turning up dead.
So far, the count stands at four officials and sixty-one guards.
The issue is that flyers purported to be from Night Raid have been left at every crime scene.
So they're trying to frame us.
Isn't this a bit too obvious, though?
Why would we suddenly start claiming responsibility?
That's what I thought at first.
But it seems people believe we are the culprits.
Why?
The murdered officials all had powerful guards.
No ordinary criminals could have touched them.
That means the killers are deliberately going after powerful targets.
And if they're capable of that...
...then they must be just as powerful as us.
In other words, fellow Relic-wielders.
Whoever it is, I strongly suspect they report directly to Esdeath.
Why would they do this?
It's a challenge.
They mean to lure us into a trap.
Since we know it's a trap, I'd like to tell you something.
Not only were the targeted officials among the empire's brightest,
they all opposed the current minister in hope of bettering the nation.
These people will be the building blocks that form our new kingdom.
We cannot afford to lose any more of them.
I'd like to hear your thoughts.
I...
I don't know much about politics, but...
We can't stand by and let them commit these crimes under Night Raid's name!
You're right.
That's exactly right, Tatsumi!
Bro!
Very well. Then it's decided!
Show them what happens to those who falsely assume our name.
Teach them what it really means to be an assassin.
We've narrowed the next target down to two possible officials.
Akame and Lubbock.
Tatsumi and Bulat.
Guard them in pairs.
Where is the official we're guarding headed?
The capital's outskirts.
Anchored at the marina of the grand canal is a massive luxury liner,
the Ryuusen.
I-It's huge!
This ship is like a fortress.
So this is where we'll wait for the impostors.
A relief mission, huh?
Looks like they do care.
That rice should help lift the people's spirits.
Watching that made me hungry.
Take this, then. I need you at full strength when the enemy shows up.
Nothing yet.
Maybe we're barking up the wrong tree.
Don't let your guard down.
I know.
Tatsumi... Bulat...
If you two should run into the enemy...
Please...
Make it out alive!
The old man we're supposed to protect is surrounded by people.
No way anyone could assassinate him here.
Looks like this was a waste—
Huh? Wh-What?
That's a tough call to make on your own, Tatsumi.
Eh? Bro?
If anything happens, my invisibility will give me the upper hand.
You can never be too careful, right?
That's true.
I'm sorry, Bro.
Still, how many times have you hit me now?
Just consider it tough love.
Love.
You didn't have to repeat it!
Anyway, that armor of yours sure is useful.
We couldn't have boarded this ship without it.
Yeah!
We stuck together through thick and thin when I fought against the South.
It's basically my partner.
But...
In the end, it didn't matter how hard I fought.
This doesn't make any sense!
Why would the capital dismiss you, General?
I refused to accept the new prime minister's bribes.
And he did this to you in spite of your achievements?
That's ludicrous!
Bulat.
I will speak out in my own defense back at the capital.
Though I may be a prisoner, I have committed no wrongdoing.
I'm sure they'll understand.
General...
I'm sorry you had to serve under a fool like me.
Forgive me, Bulat.
No, sir.
It was an honor.
But when the general returned to the capital, they wouldn't even hear his case.
I suppose they harbored some resentment for me as well,
as I was also set up as a criminal.
But before they could get their hands on me, I used this Relic to make my escape.
That's ridiculous.
The invisibility's almost run out.
I'll have to remove the armor for a while.
Don't they know your face, Bro?
Leave this area to me!
All right!
I'll go investigate inside the ship.
If I see anyone suspicious, I won't let them get away.
Though I'm pretty suspicious-looking myself.
A flute?
Sweet Shop
A
m
a
e
n
b
o
u
Bring me your best sweets.
Y-Yes, ma'am. Right away!
This would be the perfect chance to attack her,
but my heightened senses are screaming that her apparent vulnerability is a trap.
The intense, murderous evil radiating from her every pore says it all.
I thought all I needed to do was catch her alone,
but I was a fool.
Though it pains me, I must follow my instincts and retreat!
Meshiya
Cafeteria
Hmm?
The presence is gone.
They didn't take the bait, huh?
What a shame.
I was itching to test some new torture methods.
This isn't half bad.
Maybe I'll buy them some when they're back from the mission.
You play as beautifully as always.
We're a good distance from the city now, and no one can see us from the shore.
Seems like the time is right.
I've been playing for a while now, so even if I stop,
the passengers should still be debilitated for a while.
There may be some people on this ship who weren't taken in by its beauty.
Don't let your guard down.
Okay!
What the hell's happening?
Is it the music?
I have to get outside!
I can still hear the flute out here.
It must be an Imperial Relic.
Oh, looks like someone's still on their feet.
If you'd fallen asleep, I'd have left you alone.
You must be one of the people pretending to be Night Raid.
And you're the real thing, I suppose?
Just what I wanted.
Here you go.
What are you doing?
Well...
I want to gain experience in battle
so I can be the strongest there is.
Come at me!
Ah, I see.
Well, then, how would you like to experience
a one-way trip to Hell?!
Excellent!
That's the spirit!
Obliterating you will be worth every moment!
You did well to dodge that under the effects of the music.
Well, then...
How about this?
So that's your Imperial Relic?
That's right. The Twofold Cleaver, Belvark.
Not just anyone can wield it!
If that's how it works...
I'll make it hit you!
Fall by your own hand!
What is wrong with you?
The opponent was clearly anticipating your attack!
Any idiot could see he would've come out on top!
What were you doing, plunging in like that?!
Hey, you.
You're awfully chipper.
The debilitating music should have affected the entire ship.
Oh, so that's what that little performance was for.
Sorry to say, but you're out of luck.
Huh?
The fiery blood that courses through my veins isn't so easily quelled!
This guy...
You're an interesting fellow.
So you physically injured yourself to break its hold on you, huh?
The name's Bulat of Night Raid.
But you can call me "Handsome."
I am Lady Esdeath's servant,
Daidara of the Three Beasts.
Tatsumi.
Watch this battle closely. Burn it into your memory.
Bro...
Incursio!
Looks like I can get some great experience from you!
Bro!
I've got this!
I'll bash his head in—
Tatsumi,
this is what I meant when I said to be mindful of your surroundings.
He killed the biggest one,
and still managed to fend off the other two.
All...
All in a single moment!
Bro, I knew you were strong, but that was incredible!
You said it!
Back when I was a soldier, they called me the Hundred-Man Slayer, Bulat.
It was actually one hundred and twenty-eight people, but let's not split hairs.
A commendable effort either way, especially against the special forces.
That Relic, that battle prowess...
So it is you, Bulat.
It can't be...
General Liver?!
utsuro na me wo shite
What is it that you want to tell me
with your empty eyes?
nani wo tsutaetai no
I think of you, but immediately
ukande wa kieteyuku
you fade from my mind again
anata no zanzou
Don't hold me back
hikitomenaide sono yasashisa tte douse
That sort of caring is misplaced
musekinin yo shitteru
I have to be strong
tsuyoku nakya atashi wa
Or there is no reason for me to be alive
ikiru imi mo nai
Just end it all
isso kowashite yo
Love will ruin my heart
itoshisa de kokoro wa moroku nari
My caring is making me fragile
nigiritsubuseru hodo yasashikute
I never showed any weakness
dare ni mo miseta koto nai yowasa ga
until now
hitotsu dake koboreta
I used to be able to endure any hardship
donna itami mo gaman dekita no yo
I wish I'd never known love
shiritaku nanka nakatta
Kill the Three
— Part Two —