Note. Will -> Wave
For someone like Tatsumi, a simple country boy who didn't seem all that bright, being fooled was completely understandable.
After all, even the elite members of the Jaegers were almost deceived by the intruder's impeccable acting skills!
It had to be said, if not for the slip-up at the end, they genuinely wouldn't have realized that the Esdeath standing before them was a fake.
The imposter had mastered Esdeath's demeanor and mannerisms so perfectly that they had let their guard down.
"The real idiot here is you, Wave. Can't you see it yet? Tatsumi is obviously working with this imposter!" said Kurome coldly.
Normally, Kurome was a typical quiet and emotionless girl, but when it came to mocking Wave, she always found plenty to say.
And as if to validate her words, Tatsumi immediately spoke to Chelsea, further confirming his allegiance.
"Chelsea, you go outside and send the signal. I'll hold them off for you."
Chelsea's cover being blown so suddenly was something neither she nor Tatsumi had anticipated.
But now that things had reached this point, they had no choice but to push forward.
Akame, Susanoo, and Leone, who had been lying in wait nearby, were ready to assist as soon as they saw Chelsea's signal.
When the signal was sent, they immediately realized the plan had been compromised. They would now need to switch to a forced breakthrough.
"Tatsumi, I thought of you as a friend. I can't believe you betrayed me like this!" shouted Wave, his twin swords clashing against Tatsumi's weapon, sparks flying everywhere.
After joining the Jaegers, Wave had considered meeting Tatsumi, someone also from the countryside and easy to get along with, one of his greatest fortunes.
Among the Jaegers, most members were either emotionless or downright crazy. Tatsumi was the only one Wave could truly talk to, and he had genuinely seen Tatsumi as a friend.
But the simpler and more straightforward someone is, the more furious they feel when betrayed—just like Tatsumi himself, back when he had been deceived by a merchant's daughter. Now, Wave was boiling with anger.
"Wave, I truly consider you a friend, and I don't wish to be your enemy.
Surely, after seeing what happened to Wood, you can understand that Night Raid isn't the group of lawless villains the Empire paints us to be.
The members of Night Raid, like Wood, are all good people. The Empire is corrupt and dark, and what we're doing is driving away that darkness!"
Having spent time with Wave, Tatsumi knew what kind of person he was. If not for their conflicting positions, Tatsumi would have preferred not to fight him.
"I'm a soldier of the Empire. Obeying orders is my duty. There's no way I'd join hands with a group of assassins.
Tatsumi, if you're so convinced that what you're doing is right, then prove it with your strength.
Don't expect me to hold back for the sake of friendship. The outcome of this fight will decide who's truly in the right!"
Wave's face briefly showed a conflicted expression at Tatsumi's words, but it was quickly replaced with determination.
The two said no more. They stepped back, faced each other, and gripped their Imperial Arms tightly, letting out fierce battle cries!
"Incursio: Demon's Armor!"
"Grand Chariot: Shura Avatar!"
Two young men from the countryside roared with the force of their souls, their cries stirring up storms that enveloped their figures.
Tatsumi's Incursio was a full-body suit of white armor, paired with a lance named "Scarlet Lark."
Wave's Grand Chariot, also an armor-type Imperial Arm, had a deep blue color and a flashier design than Incursio.
With its sleek lines, deep blue tones, and flowing cape, Grand Chariot resembled the armor of a dashing hero.
Grand Chariot also came with a weapon, a longsword called "Seven-Star Sword."
By coincidence, Grand Chariot had actually been developed based on Incursio as a prototype.
As a new-generation armor-type Imperial Arm, Grand Chariot featured sturdier armor capable of resisting attacks from cursed blades and boasted superior close-combat abilities, making it especially effective against Akame's "Murasame."
In terms of performance and mobility, Grand Chariot also outclassed Incursio. However, it lacked the invisibility and evolution abilities of Incursio, and as a trade-off, it did not have the corrosive side effects that Incursio inflicted on its users.
In short, each armor-type Imperial Arm had its own strengths and weaknesses. These two served as the foundation for the creation of a third armor, "Frost Knight," wielded by Wood.
"Frost Knight" combined the features of both Incursio and Grand Chariot.
In terms of durability and performance, Frost Knight matched Grand Chariot, having been constructed with large amounts of rare metals.
But simply using rare metals would have made the Imperial Arm lose the evolving and invisibility abilities of Incursio. To address this, the craftsmen added materials from the super-dangerous ice dragon "Skasa," a creature as powerful as "Tyrande."
Thus, the third armor-type Imperial Arm, Frost Knight, was born.
As for why a fourth, stronger armor was never made, there was a reason for that.
Though Frost Knight was an incredible creation, it lived up to its name, "Demonic Advent: Frost Knight." Almost everyone who wore it ended up dead.
While there were users compatible with the Imperial Arm, the side effects were simply too severe.
Power always comes with a price. The craftsmen poured their hearts into creating Frost Knight, but the armor's side effects were even worse than Incursio's, freezing the blood of its users until they became ice statues within minutes.
Even the strongest men could not endure Frost Knight for more than three minutes.
Despite its immense power, no one could use it, so it was sealed away. The Empire, furious at wasting resources on an unusable weapon, executed several craftsmen in anger.
Since then, no one dared attempt to create a fourth armor-type Imperial Arm.
In many ways, Frost Knight was similar to Esdeath's Demon Extract, a weapon of immense power that only a select few could wield. Like Esdeath, who drank Demon Extract and survived, Wood was able to use Frost Knight due to his incredible physique and resistance to ice-based powers.
The names of these weapons were not given lightly. Both Frost Knight and Demon Extract evoked dread and danger from their very names.
Wave's Grand Chariot sounded impressive too, though it was more a translation issue. Its alternative name was simply "Seven-Star Sword."
As the two armor-clad warriors clashed, white and blue figures danced in the confined space. Every collision of fists, feet, and weapons caused the floors and walls around them to crack!
Meanwhile, Akame, Susanoo, and Leone, having received Chelsea's signal, swiftly eliminated the mansion's guards and engaged Kurome and the others.
"Tatsumi, leave this guy to me. Don't forget—you have a more important task!"
Watching Tatsumi and Wave's fierce battle, Leone intervened, punching Wave so hard that he crashed into a nearby wall.
Hearing Leone's words, Tatsumi suddenly remembered his critical mission.
Yes, with all the commotion in the mansion, Esdeath would surely respond. His task was to stall Esdeath at all costs.
If she arrived before they freed Wood, their entire operation would be doomed.
"Tatsumi, are you planning to run?" shouted Wave, standing amidst the rubble.
"Wave, we'll settle this fight another time. I have a more urgent task now. Next time we meet, I'll defeat you and prove that what I'm doing is right!"
Leaving these words, Tatsumi shot out of the room without hesitation.
Wave tried to chase him, but Leone's fist came flying at him, forcing him to block.
"Trying to bully one of our rookies? Not on my watch, kid. If you think you can keep your promise to meet Tatsumi again, you'll have to get through me first."
With that, Leone lunged at Wave, and their fight began.
Elsewhere, Susanoo was fighting both Run and Bols. As a biological Imperial Arm, Susanoo had an incredible regeneration ability, able to recover as long as his core remained intact. His overwhelming strength allowed him to hold off both opponents without falling behind.
But the fiercest battle was between Akame and Kurome, the estranged sisters.
Akame, filled with guilt, held back, while Kurome, consumed by resentment, fought to kill.
When they were children, both were sold to the Empire and trained as assassins. Akame became one of the elite seven, while Kurome, deemed inadequate, was forcibly enhanced with drugs, leaving her dependent on them.
Kurome's hatred stemmed not from Akame's betrayal of the Empire but from Akame leaving her behind.
Akame, however, had done so out of love, not indifference. She didn't want her sister to face the dangers of rebellion.
But Kurome didn't understand this, believing Akame's actions were abandonment. Her desire for revenge burned brightly.
Kurome's March of the Dead: Yatsufusa, capable of animating up to eight corpses as puppets, was nearly a perfect counter to Akame's Murasame, which relied on its cursed one-hit-kill ability—useless against Kurome's undead puppets.
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