Chelsea wasn't intentionally trying to provoke anyone. She wasn't the kind of person who enjoyed stirring up trouble. On the contrary, she was warm and deeply valued her companions.
Her sharp and heated words earlier stemmed from her own personal experiences with similar situations.
The Revolutionary Army's assassination teams weren't limited to Night Raid. Before Night Raid existed, other assassination squads operated in different regions.
Chelsea had once been a member of one such squad. She had accompanied her mentor and close friends on a mission assigned by the Revolutionary Army to eliminate the "Imperial Assassination Unit's Elite Seven."
Among those elites was Akame, the most exceptional member of that assassination unit.
During the mission, Chelsea used her Teigu, Gaea Foundation, to transform into a bird for reconnaissance. When she returned, she found her entire team had been wiped out.
The loss of her mentor and friends forced Chelsea to mature overnight. From then on, she approached every situation with calm, analytical precision.
Because she valued her companions so deeply, Chelsea found people like Leone—whose impulsiveness put others in danger—especially intolerable.
Najenda, as a former Imperial general, exuded a commanding presence. Her charisma and authority quickly restored order to the room.
"Leone and Mine, though you weren't on the Empire's wanted list before, your recent actions have exposed you. It's no longer safe for you to operate in the capital.
"Lubbock and Akame are already wanted, and with recent events, the capital's security will undoubtedly be heightened. Chelsea, can I rely on you for this mission? I've heard about your infiltration and reconnaissance skills back at the Revolutionary Army. Your assassination record rivals even Akame's from her time in the Empire."
Hearing Najenda's words, the others couldn't help but look at Chelsea with a mix of surprise and admiration. They hadn't expected that the sharp-tongued woman before them was such an accomplished assassin.
Akame's fearsome reputation as a former elite assassin of the Empire preceded her. Many high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Army had fallen to her deadly blade, Murasame. In fact, Akame's presence posed an even greater threat to the Revolutionary Army than Esdeath herself.
Esdeath, for all her power, didn't sneak into homes and assassinate targets in their sleep.
"I'm fine with infiltrating the capital to gather intel," Chelsea replied. "But don't expect me to rescue your comrades. I'm not equipped for direct combat."
Chelsea's Teigu, Gaea Foundation, was well-suited for infiltration. Not only could she transform into other people, but she could also take the form of animals. With the capital's dense population, she could easily disguise herself as a regular citizen and slip in unnoticed.
However, her lack of combat skills meant she could only handle stealth and assassination—not breaking someone out of captivity.
"That's fine," Najenda said. "Your mission is purely to gather intelligence. Given our current situation, no one else can even enter the capital.
"We need to know what's happened to Wood and Tatsumi before we can plan our next move."
Chelsea nodded in agreement. To demonstrate her abilities, she transformed into a hawk right in front of everyone and flew off toward the capital.
By late afternoon, Chelsea returned to the Night Raid base. During the hours she was gone, the remaining members of Night Raid had been on edge, unable to eat or focus on anything else.
"What did you find out? What's the situation with Wood and Tatsumi?" Najenda asked as soon as Chelsea entered. The others crowded around, desperate for answers.
"Your Wood is quite the fighter," Chelsea began. "As soon as I entered the capital, I didn't even need to ask around. Everyone was already talking about his battle with Esdeath.
"Apparently, their fight destroyed the Empire's entire colosseum. Before his capture, Wood singlehandedly killed over ten thousand Imperial soldiers. In the end, he collapsed from exhaustion and was captured alive by Esdeath.
"The aftermath of their battle left an area spanning a kilometer covered in ice and snow. Even now, the frost hasn't fully melted. Esdeath herself sustained injuries from the fight."
The Night Raid members reacted with a mix of emotions. Relief and worry mingled on their faces.
They were relieved that Wood was still alive. As long as he lived, there was a chance to rescue him.
But they were also deeply concerned. Wood's status as a powerful assassin meant he would be heavily guarded, possibly even under Esdeath's personal watch. Rescuing him would be no easy feat.
Najenda voiced the group's thoughts. "Esdeath probably kept him alive to extract information about Night Raid—our base, our strategies, and so on. If she decides he's of no further use, she won't hesitate to execute him."
Despite the gravity of the situation, the fact that Wood was still alive gave them hope.
"What about Tatsumi?" Akame suddenly asked, remembering their younger comrade. "Is he also in the capital? Has he been captured?"
Chelsea's expression turned thoughtful. "There's less talk about Tatsumi, but from what I gathered, he's been taken to Esdeath's mansion. Based on the intel I obtained by disguising myself as an Imperial soldier, it seems his identity as a Night Raid member hasn't been exposed.
"Otherwise, his treatment wouldn't be so favorable compared to Wood's."
Leone's face lit up with realization. "So, Wood was right. Tatsumi caught Esdeath's attention."
Najenda: "(´･Д･)」"
Chelsea: "(°_°)"
Susanoo: "_;"
Najenda and Chelsea were visibly dumbfounded. The idea that Esdeath, the infamous general, would take a personal interest in someone like Tatsumi was beyond their comprehension.
After Leone explained Esdeath's peculiar romantic preferences—as stated to the Emperor himself—Najenda was left speechless.
"So let me get this straight," Najenda said, lighting a cigarette to calm her nerves. "Tatsumi entered the martial arts tournament to infiltrate the Jaegers... but ended up seducing Esdeath instead?"
The absurdity of the situation left her more stunned than the news of Wood's capture.
Leone shrugged. "Hey, if Tatsumi's in the enemy's base, it could work in our favor. He could gather intel and even help us rescue Wood. Maybe we can convince him to... you know, use his charm."
Najenda frowned. "His charm?"
Leone nodded. "Come on, Esdeath's not just strong—she's beautiful, too. Tatsumi wouldn't be the first guy to use a little seduction to complete a mission."
The group reluctantly agreed. After all, if Tatsumi's presence in Esdeath's mansion could aid their cause, they couldn't afford to waste the opportunity.
Meanwhile, in Esdeath's mansion, Tatsumi was in a state of panic. The mansion, grand and imposing, served as both Esdeath's residence and the Jaegers' headquarters.
Though Tatsumi and Wood were technically in the same location, their circumstances couldn't have been more different. While Wood was shackled and heavily guarded, Tatsumi was given surprising freedom within the mansion—so long as he didn't try to leave.
Having little choice, Tatsumi decided to check on Wood, hoping the older assassin had a plan.
"Tatsumi, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with General Esdeath?" Will asked.
Tatsumi's unease grew. Despite managing to find Wood, he couldn't get close enough to speak with him privately.
Wood was shackled with layers of heavy chains, his arms bound behind his back and his legs and neck also restrained. Massive steel stakes anchored the chains to the walls. He was further confined within three layers of reinforced iron cages, each one nearly impervious to damage.
Adding to the difficulty, two Jaegers were assigned to guard him at all times. Today, the task fell to Will and Kurome.
Though Will was friendly and cheerful, Kurome's cold demeanor made any attempt at conversation impossible. Tatsumi could only hope that, somehow, they'd find a way to free Wood—and survive Esdeath's watchful eye.
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