Suspended midair, Wood found himself in a precarious situation. Facing Esdeath's wave of attacks, he had no optimal way to respond.
Although he possessed the ability to move in midair using "Moon Walk," the angles from which the icy spears attacked had left him completely surrounded. There was simply no way to dodge.
With no other choice, Wood braced himself to block the onslaught.
"I understand that your Teigu seems to counter mine," Esdeath remarked, her voice calm yet laced with deadly intent. "You're remarkably resistant to cold and frost injuries, aren't you? But what about piercing attacks? Surely you can't entirely nullify or resist those."
Esdeath's recollection of their first encounter burned vividly in her mind. Wood had managed to escape back then because she had underestimated his Teigu and his personal strength.
But this time, she had no intention of repeating the same mistake—nor would she allow her prey to escape her grasp a second time.
"Clang!"
"Clash!"
The icy spears surged toward Wood from all angles. He swung his longsword, shattering two of the projectiles mid-flight. The remaining spears were blocked using his Armament Haki, deflecting the dangerous icy weapons with brute force.
Just as Wood felt a fleeting sense of relief, his heightened Observation Haki detected a sudden danger from behind him. Glancing quickly over his shoulder, he was shocked to discover that Esdeath, who had previously been stationary, had vanished.
"Clang!"
A piercing sound of blades colliding echoed through the arena. This time, the dynamics of the clash had shifted entirely. Having just fended off the barrage of icy spears, Wood's body was still recovering, leaving him vulnerable.
Esdeath exploited this opening perfectly. Her razor-sharp saber not only breached the defenses of Wood's Teigu armor but also grazed his face, leaving a faint but chilling cut.
The force of her strike sent Wood hurtling toward the ground at high speed. Though his Teigu armor absorbed some of the impact, minimizing the damage he sustained, Esdeath's calculated strategy ensured that her assault wouldn't stop there.
Esdeath wasn't just a formidable warrior—she was a master tactician. Her extensive combat experience and unmatched skill with her Teigu gave her an overwhelming advantage.
As Wood plummeted, Esdeath raised her hand and conjured a massive, conical ice spike that erupted from the ground, its gleaming tip aimed to impale him. The sharp, frosty structure shimmered menacingly, poised to deliver a second, devastating blow.
"If I can't kill him outright," Esdeath thought to herself, "I'll at least severely wound him. His strange ability to harden his skin and his Teigu armor make him tough, but even he can't escape unscathed."
Thanks to his Observation Haki, Wood sensed the lethal threat behind him. Despite the tremendous inertia pulling him downward, he twisted his body midair and activated "Moon Walk" to maneuver away from the spike.
Esdeath hadn't anticipated that Wood possessed a technique allowing him to move so freely in the air.
"Is that another ability of his Teigu?" Esdeath wondered, momentarily taken aback. "How can one Teigu have so many diverse powers?"
From the sidelines, Will, a member of the Jaegers, had been observing the fight closely. Compared to Esdeath, Wood's abilities seemed almost otherworldly. Not only could he unleash devastating sword energy, but he also had enhanced durability, resistance to cold, and the ability to manipulate frost—a small-scale version of Esdeath's power.
Now, seeing Wood perform "Moon Walk," Will couldn't help but grumble, "This is insane. All these abilities are part of his Teigu? My own Teigu, 'Noble Chariot,' only enhances my physical abilities. How is his Teigu so much better?"
Will wasn't alone in his frustration. Tatsumi and Run, standing nearby, also felt a pang of inadequacy.
Tatsumi could empathize with Will. As a user of the armor-type Teigu "Incursio," Tatsumi's Teigu only amplified his physical strength and granted him the ability to turn invisible. If Wood's vast array of powers truly came from his Teigu, then "Incursio" and "Noble Chariot" felt like cheap knockoffs by comparison.
Tatsumi glanced at Will, another country boy like himself, and silently sympathized. If Will knew what kind of person Wood truly was, he'd probably feel even more defeated.
Wood wasn't just incredibly skilled—he was a polymath, adept at everything he set his mind to. From mastering noble etiquette and hobbies to honing assassination techniques and espionage, Wood's competence was unparalleled.
Run, another Jaeger member, also struggled with envy. His Teigu, "Mastema," granted him the ability to fly using winged boots. While he had been content with its utility and speed, watching Wood's seamless aerial maneuvers made him question the value of his Teigu.
"If Will's and Tatsumi's Teigu are just inferior versions of Wood's, mine is barely an accessory," Run lamented. "It's like a freebie that comes with the real product."
Meanwhile, far from the chaos of the Imperial Capital, Leone carried a struggling Mine on her shoulder. After circling back several times to ensure they weren't being followed, they finally returned to the Night Raid base.
As Lubbock and Akame greeted them, the absence of Wood and Tatsumi immediately raised alarms.
"What happened? Where are Wood and Tatsumi?" Lubbock demanded.
Seeing the disheartened expressions on Leone and Mine's faces, he knew something had gone terribly wrong.
Leone recounted the events in the capital, her voice heavy with regret.
Lubbock, unable to contain his anger, grabbed Leone by the collar. "I told you not to act without the boss's orders! But you didn't listen, and now look what's happened! If anything happens to Wood, I'll never forgive you!"
Lubbock's outburst stemmed not only from frustration but also from deep concern for his closest friend. Having grown up with Wood and shared countless battles, Lubbock considered him an irreplaceable companion.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," Leone whispered, guilt wracking her.
Akame intervened, trying to defuse the situation. "Lubbock, this isn't just Leone's fault. We all agreed to the plan, including you. Wood wouldn't have insisted we leave if he didn't believe he could handle it."
Lubbock clenched his fists, his frustration simmering. "You don't understand! Wood barely escaped Esdeath last time, and that was in the wilderness. This time, he's in the heart of the capital! There's no way the Jaegers or the Imperial Army will stand idly by."
Leone, overwhelmed with guilt, made a sudden decision. She stormed out of the base, intent on returning to the capital to rescue Wood. However, before she could leave, Najenda appeared at the entrance, accompanied by two new allies.
"Where do you think you're going?" Najenda asked, her voice cold. "Wood risked everything to ensure you and Mine could escape. Are you planning to throw his sacrifice away?"
Najenda's presence immediately silenced the room. Behind her stood a teenage girl with long crimson hair, dressed in a sharp British-style uniform, and a towering man with blue hair and horns, clad in white.
The girl, Chelsea, wielded the Teigu "Gaea Foundation," allowing her to disguise herself as anyone. The man, Susanoo, was a biological Teigu with immense strength and loyalty to Najenda.
"Night Raid's reputation precedes it," Chelsea said, her tone sharp. "But from what I see, it's just a group of undisciplined amateurs. Your impulsive actions have put your comrades in danger."
Leone bristled at Chelsea's blunt criticism, her anger boiling over. "What did you say?!"
Before she could lash out, Susanoo stepped between them, blocking her attack effortlessly.
"That's enough!" Najenda commanded, her voice cutting through the tension. "If you can't control yourselves, you'll only cause more harm. Wood entrusted us with his life. We're going to get him back—but we'll do it the right way."
Her words resonated deeply, forcing everyone to focus. The mission to rescue Wood had just begun.
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