On one side stood 100,000 elite soldiers, bolstered by the presence of ten true Teigu wielders, including members of "Night Raid." On the other side, there was a single woman clad in military uniform, armed only with a saber.
However, the absurdity of the situation lay in the fact that despite the overwhelming numerical and strategic disparity, it was the lone woman who commanded a fearsome presence that suppressed the opposing side.
For members of "Night Raid" like Akame, who had crossed paths with Esdeath before, this was expected. But for the Revolutionary Army's soldiers and the allied Teigu wielders, simply meeting Esdeath's gaze sent a shiver down their spines.
"Ice General!"
Esdeath, feeling that the numerous soldiers would dampen her enjoyment of the fight, employed her storm-like abilities. In an instant, 10,000 elite troops were obliterated.
These so-called "elite soldiers" were no different from regular troops in the face of this monstrous force.
Even more astonishingly, as the frozen corpses of the Revolutionary Army soldiers piled up, countless ice cavalry emerged from the snow, standing tall and unyielding.
Esdeath, disdainful of wasting effort on minor opponents, showed interest only in "Night Raid" members like Akame, who barely piqued her attention.
"Where is Wood? Without him, none of you are a match for me."
With a single strike, she effortlessly deflected the combined attack from Bulat and Akame. Her casual demeanor as she spoke made it clear she didn't consider them true threats.
"Whether we are your match isn't up to you to decide—only a battle will reveal that!"
Leone, unwilling to tolerate Esdeath's condescension, roared defiantly. Assisted by Lubbock's Cross Tail, she propelled herself at lightning speed, aiming a fierce punch at Esdeath's face.
With her incredible speed and the combined might of her Teigu-enhanced strength, Leone's attack generated a powerful shockwave. The punch seemed to transform into a roaring lion, ready to devour Esdeath.
BOOM!
The tremendous impact shattered the ground, leaving a massive ten-meter-wide crater.
Leone expected her blow to at least leave some mark on Esdeath, no matter how formidable the opponent. But as she took a closer look, she was stunned to find no trace of Esdeath in the crater.
Sensing danger like a wild animal, Leone instinctively turned around, only to see a gleaming silver light flash before her eyes. Her body couldn't react in time.
In the next moment, crimson blood splattered through the air, and an arm fell to the ground. Esdeath flicked the blood off her saber with a practiced motion, her face showing an expression of admiration.
"Your strength and reflexes are impressive, but your combat awareness is lacking. Still, your teamwork is excellent. No wonder my Jaegers have suffered repeated defeats at your hands."
Esdeath's words, meant as a compliment, only felt like mockery to Leone.
Had it not been for Lubbock's quick thinking—pulling Leone out of harm's way using the steel wires of Cross Tail—her head would likely have been severed.
Esdeath's praise came from recognizing the seamless coordination among "Night Raid" members. Unlike her hastily assembled Jaegers, the "Night Raid" team had years of experience working together. They trusted one another implicitly and could rely on each other in battle.
For most, losing an arm would count as a severe injury, potentially taking them out of the fight.
But for Leone, with her Teigu Beast Transformation: King of Beasts - Lionelle, such a wound wasn't even a minor setback. She calmly picked up her severed arm, and with Lubbock's wires stitching it back in place, combined with her Teigu's remarkable regenerative abilities, her arm was fully healed in no time.
Watching Leone recover so swiftly, joined by the rest of the encircling "Night Raid" members, Esdeath showed no sign of anger. On the contrary, her face lit up with delight.
Much like Wood, Esdeath was a battle maniac. Her true enjoyment came not from easily defeating opponents but from engaging in exhilarating battles.
If her enemies were too weak, the fight would bore her. Now, however, things were getting interesting. If the battle ended too soon, where would the fun be?
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Having recruited Kurome as a loyal subordinate and captured Wave, Wood decided it was time to reunite with Akame and the others. Following the trail of clues left by Leone, he headed toward a hidden village where her team was based.
"Don't worry about it. When Akame sees you, she'll probably jump into your arms. No one holds a grudge forever."
Wood grinned mischievously as he spoke to Kurome, whose normally expressionless face betrayed some nervousness at the thought of seeing her sister, Akame.
"Besides, who hasn't done a few reckless things in their youth? If Akame wants to fight, I'll hold her legs, and you can grab her arms—we'll pin her down together."
Kurome, who had initially been tense about the upcoming reunion, couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and disbelief at Wood's flippant remarks.
Although Wood had displayed an aura of strength and confidence when persuading her to join, Kurome now realized his personality was far from serious. In fact, he was often just as carefree and ridiculous as Wave.
Only later would Kurome fully grasp that Wood's seemingly dependable demeanor was mostly an act. While his strength was undeniable, his personality was anything but composed.
It turned out that someone who could inspire Wave's admiration had to share a similar goofy streak.
Pushing open the door of a dilapidated hut, Wood and the others found the place empty. Akame and her team were nowhere to be seen.
"Could they be out on a mission? Or perhaps we arrived too late, and this location has already been compromised?" Chelsea speculated aloud, looking around the barren room.
"We are indeed late," Wood replied, scanning the scene. "But it's not because the location was exposed. Akame and the others left on their own."
Unlike Chelsea, who was newer to "Night Raid" and couldn't decipher the hidden messages left behind, Wood and Mine—veterans of the team—quickly identified the concealed signs Akame's team had left behind.
Following the hidden signs, Wood walked to a corner of the room. Under the surprised gazes of Kurome and the others, he plunged his hand into the ground and lifted a concealed compartment.
Inside the compartment lay a long, blue sword and a folded letter.
Even without touching it, Wood could feel the resonance of the weapon—it was his Teigu, Knight of Winter.
As for the letter, it seemed like a jumble of unrelated sentences at first glance, but it could only be deciphered using the unique reading method known to "Night Raid."
The contents of the letter were simple: the Revolutionary Army's headquarters had come under attack by Esdeath, so Akame and the others had left earlier to provide reinforcements. The Knight of Winter had been recovered after defeating Dr. Stylish and was now returned to its rightful owner.
"Esdeath is attacking the Revolutionary Army's headquarters? That's a huge problem! We need to head back immediately!"
Mine, who had been reading the letter alongside Wood, grasped the situation instantly and urgently called for them to return and assist.
However, just as Mine moved to leave, Wood placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. He calmly spoke, "Judging by the moisture level of this letter, Akame and the others must have left at least two days ago.
"Chelsea, you know the route to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters. How long would it take to get there?"
Chelsea nodded and replied, "If we leave now, it would take at least two days to reach the headquarters. Previously, we managed a same-day trip because Boss used a flying Danger Beast.
"Of course, I'm talking about normal travel speeds. If it's someone like you, Wood, who isn't bound by human limits, you could probably make it there and back in a day."
Hearing Chelsea's description of him as "inhuman," Wood gave a wry smile. "Even if I ran nonstop for a day, I'd still be exhausted. By the time I got there, I wouldn't have the energy to fight. How would I provide support then?"
"So, what are you saying? That we just sit here and do nothing?" Mine snapped, clearly frustrated by Wood's reluctance.
Although she understood that his reasoning wasn't wrong, it was unbearable to think of their comrades facing danger while they stayed idle.
"Not necessarily," Wood replied with a sly grin. "If Esdeath can ambush the Revolutionary Army's headquarters and strike at our base, why can't we do the same to her?"
Mine and Chelsea froze, their expressions stunned. Realizing his implication, they both turned to Wood and asked incredulously, "Wood, are you insane?
"If overthrowing the Empire were that easy, we wouldn't have spent so much effort fighting alongside the Revolutionary Army for so long!"
Wood's plan was clear—if Esdeath could attack the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, then he intended to assault the Imperial Capital itself.
For Mine and Chelsea, such an idea seemed outrageous. The Imperial Capital was heavily fortified, with countless imperial soldiers stationed there.
And even if they managed to reach the palace, they would still have to contend with formidable obstacles like General Budo and the "Temple of Fists," not to mention the Emperor himself and his manipulative Prime Minister.
"Who do you think is the most dangerous person in the entire Empire?" Wood asked with a smirk.
After exchanging a glance, Mine and Chelsea responded without hesitation, "Esdeath, of course."
"And how do you think I compare to Esdeath in terms of strength?" Wood's tone remained casual, but his question made them pause.
Mine and Chelsea didn't answer immediately. While Wood hadn't suffered any decisive defeats against Esdeath, neither had they been present for his past encounters with her, making it difficult to assess.
"If you used the life-draining Teigu Heart of God, I believe you could surpass Esdeath, even if just slightly," Kurome said, breaking the silence.
Having witnessed their arena battle, Kurome knew that before Wood chose to retreat, Esdeath had been on the defensive. If not for Wood prioritizing the safety of a group of children, he might never have been captured in the first place.
Hearing Kurome's comment, Wood couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.
"Exactly. With Esdeath, the Empire's strongest, away from the capital, and knowing I'm capable of matching her strength, why shouldn't I take this opportunity to strike at the palace?
"In the past, I wouldn't have been confident enough. But now that Leone and the others have retrieved my Knight of Winter, this plan is entirely feasible.
"The Empire can't concentrate all its forces in the capital. If we act swiftly enough and catch them off guard, it's not impossible.
"And like Esdeath, I can ignore minor opponents. No matter how many foot soldiers they have, they're meaningless to me."
Mine and Chelsea fell silent, considering Wood's analysis. His reasoning, while bold, wasn't entirely implausible.
Even so, the ongoing battle between Akame's group and Esdeath remained a cause for concern.
"Don't worry," Wood reassured them. "Najenda isn't reckless. If things look bad, she'll prioritize the safety of 'Night Raid.'
"As for the Revolutionary Army's higher-ups, they're beyond our control. Frankly, many of them aren't exactly clean. If some of them die, so be it—it might even help prevent corruption in the new regime after the Empire falls."
In the end, Wood managed to convince Mine and Chelsea to carry out a surprise attack on the Imperial Capital.
Wave, unlucky as always, was left behind at the dilapidated hut, while Kurome, Chelsea (disguised as Wave using Gaia Foundation), and Run accompanied Wood as they boldly infiltrated the palace.
There were many ways to launch a surprise attack, and directly charging in head-on was by far the least efficient and most foolish method.
While Wood admitted to being a battle maniac, he wasn't reckless enough to emulate Esdeath's audacious frontal assaults. For him, a low-risk, stealthy infiltration was far more appealing than risking unnecessary losses or tipping off the enemy prematurely.