Chapter 570: That Means I'm Too Weak!
Meilard angrily clenched her pink fists, looking like she couldn't believe Esdeath wasn't listening.
Honestly.
If it were anyone else, she would have just said a couple of unnecessary words before directly knocking them out and taking them away. But the Woman in front of her was different. Firstly, emotionally, she didn't want to make a move, and secondly, even if she did, she probably couldn't win.
Meilard had always been very confident, even a little arrogant. But even so, she had to admit that if her Talent and Strength were considered First-rate in this World, then The Empire's Army General Blande and Air Force General Bud were also at this level. And the Woman she had met since she was a teenager, who stood before her now, belonged Above First-rate, a Transcendent Existence in a league of her own. The Empire's Marine Admiral, Esdeath!
Yet, despite this, Meilard still didn't believe she could survive the upcoming War. Because she had already witnessed the magnificent, spectacular, and incredibly terrifying scenes of the 'Titan World', and had seen Bullet's astonishing performance in directly taking on the 'Five Paths Revolving Furnace'. So she told Esdeath everything she had seen without reservation, just to make Esdeath understand the huge Gap between the two sides!
But Meilard failed, as she had expected.
"The World Government, which has already conquered three Worlds, is indeed very Strong, isn't that great?"
"They should have Opponent there who can satisfy me, right?"
Esdeath, wearing a white Marine dress Uniform, leaned back on a large stone chair with one leg crossed. Her Right Hand propped up her chin, and she sexily stuck out her Informant and licked her pink lips. Her face was full of anticipation and Excitement, and the Radiance in her eyes was undeniably dazzling.
"Why don't you understand!"
"You're simply no match for those Monster, you'll die!"
Meilard sighed weakly. In fact, she knew Esdeath very well; this person was a Combat maniac. But didn't she still choose to come and persuade her? Because she loved her.
"Die?"
Esdeath slowly stood up, looked calmly at Meilard, and said, "That means I'm too weak, that's all."
Born in the border region of the Northern Snow Region, the daughter of the Baltars Tribe Clan Leader, who specialized in hunting Danger Beast, she was instilled with the Thought from a young age that only 'Powerhouse can survive'. And she believed this principle more firmly than any other member of the Baltars Tribe, convinced that to survive, one must become a Powerhouse. What is a Powerhouse? To fight and win, to survive the slaughter, that is a Powerhouse. Conversely, no matter the reason, one is a weakling, and death is only natural!
"Is that so..."
Meilard lowered her head, the shadow covering her Expression. Her tone became ruthless, making the Atmosphere in the Main Hall even more oppressive.
"Indeed, I can't persuade you with words. Since that's the case, I'll just have to try and take you away by force..."
When she raised her head again, the Aura belonging to 'Oarberg' was released with her. Her eyes were filled with determination.
"Today, either I defeat you and take you away to live together, or you kill me. That's better than me just watching you go to your death!"
Esdeath looked at her with interest and smiled, "I almost forgot, you're still The Empire's strongest assassin. And it seems we haven't exchanged blows for quite some time."
"Alright, since that's the case, come and try. Let me see if you've become stronger some~"
But just as Meilard's Muscle tightened, Esdeath spoke again, stopping her.
"You in this Form are not my Opponent. You should just directly transform into the 'Insect Queen'. I can wait for you."
Meilard sneered, "You're as confident as ever. Alright, then I won't be polite either!"
As soon as she finished speaking.
She spread her arms, and twelve plump white silkworms jumped out from her body. Then, they sprayed out streams of milky white Strings from their mouths. In the blink of an eye, they wrapped Meilard in a large white Cocoon.
"Truly interesting. Combining the Ability of Insect-type Danger Beast with Western Synthetic Alchemy. You can certainly be called a master when it comes to playing with bugs~"
Esdeath chuckled softly with her arms crossed over her Chest, simultaneously displaying her ample figure to the fullest.
A moment later.
With a cracking Commotion of splitting, the Cocoon automatically split into two halves and fell to the ground, revealing Meilard, who now had a completely new appearance.
A pair of translucent dark purple butterfly wings unfolded behind her. A pair of white antennae extended from the corners of her eyes. A layer of purple patterns, resembling stockings, 'stuck' to her forearms and calves. Overall, it looked like she was wearing an extremely revealing one-piece bikini, which accentuated her already Original Copy Charm qualities, making her even more enchanting and Sexiness.
"Then, let us begin..."
Hearing Meilard's words, Esdeath said with some dissatisfaction, "Don't you 'Oarberg' all have an opening line before Combat? Why aren't you saying it?"
"That's equivalent to pronouncing the Opponent's death sentence in the name of the 'Death God', and I'm not fighting this Combat to kill you." Meilard looked at her affectionately and said softly.
"No way, you have to say it!"
Esdeath was already used to Meilard's somewhat strange Personality. Without changing her Expression, she continued to make her request. Because her sexual orientation had no issues; she was still waiting to have a normal sweet romance with a man she found appealing~
"Mm, alright then..."
Meilard gave an indulgent slight smile, then immediately put away her smile, spread her arms, and chanted expressionlessly, "I am the Fang of the Death God Oarburgh, the Blade of Impermanence, I shall take you to the Underworld to enjoy eternal peace."
"Not bad, that's it!"
Esdeath showed a happy Expression, like a Little Girl who got what she wanted. Then she smiled and said, "It would be great if there really was someone in this World who could defeat death. I'd really like to see that."
But Meilard no longer joked with her, disappearing from her original spot almost in the blink of an eye.
The next second.
A sharp Ice Pillar over three meters tall appeared out of thin air where she had originally stood, and then exploded into pieces with a boom amidst the Explosion Firelight.
At the same time.
A dense swarm of black bugs flew down from the ceiling of the Main Hall. This was the Insect-type Danger Beast known as the 'Crawling Thing', passed down through generations by the 'Oarberg' Leader!
These Bugs were not originally natural products, but creations of Alchemist. They could not only act according to the bug manipulator's Will, but their appearance was also extremely hard, almost invulnerable to Weapons. Furthermore, their jaws were incredibly fierce; they could easily bite through both rock and Steel. If it were Mortal Flesh, being surrounded by the swarm for just about ten seconds would be enough to completely devour a person without leaving a single drop of blood!
And what had just blown apart the Ice Pillar was another type of Insect-type Danger Beast called the 'Explosion Ant'. Despite being the size of an Ant, it possessed the Power to blow apart a Houses when it self-destructed. Meilard had long hidden it under her feet. She had originally planned to detonate it when Esdeath rushed over to attack...
[Swish——————]
Suddenly, as Esdeath instantly drew the Long Saber from her Waist, the swarm of bugs above her head turned into ice pellets under a sweep of Cold Air, then crushed into even smaller Ice Crystal and scattered with the Wind.
"After so many years, you still haven't improved these bugs' cold resistance Ability~"
The Temperature inside the Main Hall was already somewhat cold, and as her words fell, it became lower and lower. Meilard, however, let out a cold snort.
"That's why before I came, I specifically went to Kifunora Forest! It was precisely to bring enough Explosion Ants to deal with you!"
The next moment.
Continuous Explosion boomed one after another within the snow-white Castle. The two powerful Woman transformed into streaks of Afterimage, fighting fiercely amidst the Gunfire Flash, Gunsmoke, and Ice...
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 571: Blood Sacrifice for the Meito!
Unbeknownst to anyone, the commotion inside the castle had subsided.
Both sides seemed to have restrained their destructive power, allowing the only building on this small island to be preserved, at least as an entity, without harm.
However.
The main hall inside the castle was a mess, with frozen ice pillars, ice spikes, and shattered ice cubes everywhere. Three of the stone pillars were completely broken, replaced by an ice pillar.
"How could you possibly beat me, idiot~"
Esdeath's lips curled up as she looked proudly at the insect queen, Meilard, who was frozen below the neck. Facing a friend she had known since she was a teenager, she inadvertently revealed her girlish side.
"You idiot, there has to be a limit to how fanatical you are about war, right?"
"What's the point of fighting a war that is bound to be lost, and might even result in death?"
"Follow my plan, and you'll have a chance to change your identity and join the World Government, then follow them to participate in the conquest of Other Worlds. Isn't that more appealing to you!"
Meilard calmed down, no longer struggling, and looked at Esdeath's ice crystal-like blue eyes, making her final effort, sentence by sentence.
"A war that is bound to be lost?"
Esdeath's sky-blue eyebrows twitched. She reached for her slender waist with her right hand and smiled, "The way you say that makes me even more interested. I've never tasted the flavor of defeat~"
But when Meilard spoke her last sentence, a radiance suddenly burst forth in Esdeath's eyes.
"The Conquest of Other Worlds..."
Esdeath's eyes immediately filled with longing and greed. To be honest, at this moment, she was truly tempted, even having thoughts of directly defecting to the World Government.
However, she ultimately suppressed it, because it was simply impossible for her to commit an act of desertion on the battlefield.
Of course.
If she used her full ability and still lost in the end, and the other party allowed her to continue living, then she could consider joining them.
Thinking of this, Esdeath waved her right hand, turning the ice on Meilard's body into ice crystals that dissipated. Then, stepping on her white high heels, she twisted her beautiful waist and walked towards the castle main gate.
Just then, Meilard's angry voice came from behind.
"If you die, don't expect me to avenge you. I will absolutely not provoke the World Government for you. On the contrary, I will fiercely mock your overestimation of yourself at your graveside!"
"Heh heh, then you can keep me company and talk more when that time comes~"
Esdeath chuckled softly without turning her head.
Finally, she disappeared from Meilard's resentful line of sight.
Bang.
Meilard slumped tiredly onto the frozen ground, biting her lip, and sighed softly.
"Then there's only one way left. I'll join the World Government first..."
The risk of doing this was great. She was very likely to be subjected to inhuman interrogation and abuse.
But this was also the fastest way to infiltrate the World Government.
"Since the World Government can accept talent from the previous three worlds, there's no reason why Esdeath and I would be rejected!"
Thinking of this, Meilard forced herself to stand up despite her tired body.
She had to ensure that both she and Esdeath survived!
At the same time.
On The Empire's side, a force of fifty thousand troops led by Army Lieutenant General Nahas as the commander, with Izo, also an Army Lieutenant General, as the deputy general.
They had arrived at the Northern Territory edge a few days ago and were stationed Inside the City of the Fortress City not far from Baldass Town.
This fortress was originally built by The Empire a hundred years ago for the conquest of the Randell People in the North. Since then, it had been in a state of being abandoned.
But because the construction materials used were large stones, its overall function was still present as an entity.
Now, it only needed people to clear the weeds and clean it up.
Nahas used this fortress as the Command Center, fully deploying the situation of the fifty thousand large army, confronting the Main Combat Division led by Vice Admiral Onigumo and the ten thousand Auxiliary Legion.
Recently, the two sides had already begun small-scale probing combat.
"Didn't they say that the enemy's soldiers all fight with blades?"
Nahas stood on the city wall, looking at the frontline force in the distance with his ordinary single-barreled telescope, asking in confusion.
At this moment.
Both sides' troops were relying on the trenches they had temporarily dug, shooting at each other with their automatic rifles or machine guns. The air was filled with whistling cannonballs, creating clusters of explosion firelight on both sides' positions.
In addition.
A small number of black heavy tanks also began to enter the field, but they were quickly blocked by a group of giant crab-type danger beasts.
They were a type of first-class danger beast called 'Rossikansa', originating from the East Blue.
Because their carapaces were comparable to steel, their two crab claws could break metal and shatter stone, and they also had the ability to spray strong acid bubbles, they were highly valued by the Imperial Army and often used for assault missions.
Over hundreds of years.
On the Western Battlefield against the Alchemy Kingdom, they had massacred countless enemy Heavy Cavalry Legions and blocked who knows how many Alchemist attacks for their own soldiers.
At this moment.
They were once again engaged in a desperate struggle with the 'Steel Monsters' of these Otherworld Invaders on this northern land.
[Roar! Roar! Roar!]
The gun barrels of the tanks continuously spewed out scorching flame and red cannonballs.
Some hit a 'Giant Crab' directly, blowing it into a bloody mess, while others were flexibly dodged by the enemy, who then approached and corroded both the Human and the vehicle with strong acid bubbles.
Or they were directly torn apart and disassembled by 'Crab Claws', and the Auxiliary Soldiers from the Demon Slayer World inside naturally could not escape the result of being slaughtered.
Behind these 'Rossikansa', there were also some 'Flame Rabbits'.
Their hair color varied, white, black, gray, yellowish-brown, a wide variety, but they all had three common features.
Giant Body Size, Agility/Dexterity, and rabbit ears and tails that burned with flame.
They cleverly used the 'Giant Crabs' as 'Shields', occasionally spraying Fireballs with a Diameter of a full meter towards the Heavy Tanks or the Trenches of the Auxiliary Legion further behind.
The Range of these Fireballs was clearly greater than that of the 'Strong Acid Bubbles', but their Effect on Heavy Tanks was not very good, at least not capable of destroying them with a single shot.
However, their Explosion range was larger, and they did burn to death quite a few auxiliary soldiers.
"Vice Admiral, according to the latest intelligence from the Secret Police Force, these troops wearing green military uniforms and carrying firearms recently arrived in our world from that Star Gate. It is speculated that they might be their Second-line Force!"
An Army Colonel behind Nahas quickly replied.
"Second-line Force?"
Nahas turned his head and glanced at him speechlessly.
Their Second-line Force was fighting fiercely with their own Frontline Force. What kind of situation was this!
"Heh heh, the Second-line Force is equipped with a full set of Firearm Equipment, but the Frontline Force only fights with a single blade? Interesting. This is very similar to my hometown. I really want to spar with them soon."
Just then, Vice Admiral Izo, who was standing nearby, sneered, eager to try.
He was a middle-aged swordsman about 1.8 meters tall, dressed completely like a Samurai, with black hair and black eyes, and a malt stalk he found somewhere in his mouth.
The most eye-catching thing about him was the Katana with a white Hilt and white sheath hanging at his waist.
"And use the life of these Otherworlders to perform a Blood Sacrifice for this Meito, 'River Snow'..."
Chapter 572: Akame's Puzzling Doubts!
The overall situation in the North can only be considered a warm-up phase at this stage, as neither side is fully prepared.
On the World Government side.
Apart from Onigumo's Main Combat Division arriving at the designated position, the other several divisions are still en route.
Among them, Charlotte Oven's Main Combat Division is stationed below Sekka Fortress. He did not choose to directly launch a Siege, because Bullet had already sent an Order telling him to wait for his arrival.
This was Bullet's Decision to ensure that Oven's Main Combat Division was in sufficient condition to face the Large Force from the Alchemy Kingdom of Alkemi, so he decided to personally take Sekka Fortress.
Also, Oven needs to receive the ten thousand Auxiliary Legion brought by Bullet, so he can only wait quietly for now. Anyway, Sekka Fortress doesn't seem to have the Courage to launch an Attack on their side.
At the same time.
The World Government is also transporting Air Force and Marines to this World, because according to the 'words' of the Captives captured by the Sea Ninjas, they already know that The Empire possesses established Air Force Units and Marine Fleets.
Therefore, Flying Warships, Sea Warships, Fighter Aircraft, and even Small Floating Islands used as Air Force Bases need to be successively sent into the Star Gate.
For these purposes, Im specifically sent Stussy over to turn them one by one into 'Figure Models' and then pack them into large, categorized Boxes.
As for The Empire's side.
They are also in the stage of mobilizing various Troops, especially Army General Blande, who is personally leading six hundred thousand Imperial Army back to the Imperial Capital.
He did not bring all the Troops over, but left them on the western Defense Line to be vigilant of the Alchemy Kingdom's every move.
On the other side.
On the East Sea, Esdeath was impatiently urging the Shenhe Island Nation repeatedly to give a reply as soon as possible.
The truth is, if the latter does not send a Large Force to advance north together with their side and launch a surprise Attack on the World Government's Star Gate Base from the Sea, she really wouldn't dare to lead most of the Warships there alone.
Who knows if the Shenhe Island Nation might take the opportunity to Attack The Empire's Marine Headquarters?
Moreover, even Esdeath had to admit that the Shenhe Island Nation, whose Civilization level is considerably more advanced than The Empire's, would indeed be a great help if they were Allies.
Their Sword Masters, their Meitos, their Imperial Arms Ability to control Sea Danger Beasts, are truly admirable!
In fact.
Esdeath didn't completely disregard Meilard's words either. At least she gained a deeper understanding of the World Government, so her Actions are much more cautious than before.
Her Attitude towards War has always been very serious!
However.
Regardless of how these Four Factions - the World Government, The Empire, the Alchemy Kingdom of Alkemi, and the Shenhe Island Nation - stir up the Situation.
For the Ninja, Cipher Pol, Secret Police Force, and Oarberg's Assassin Personnel, who represent 'Undercurrents', it seems there isn't much of an impact.
They are still fighting each other in the corners of various Cities, wildernesses, and Mountain Ranges.
It's just that recently, both sides have been consciously moving towards White Horse Mountain, which has made the Slaughter around White Horse Mountain even more intense and brutal.
Although the individual Strength on the Sea Ninja and Cipher Pol side is stronger, the Secret Police Force and Oarberg's numbers hold the Advantage.
At this Time, the Secret Police Force no longer cared about the Rules of leaving the killing to Oarberg. Anyone with a Weapon in their hand had to participate in the Combat.
After all, the World Government's Personnel don't care if they are Reconnaissance Personnel or Assassin Personnel.
[Clang, clang... ding-dong, ding-dong-dong...]
This place is located south of White Horse Mountain, in a place called Masola Town.
The Residents here had long since hidden inside their respective houses, trembling as they peeked through the Window gaps at the Street outside. Many tattered Corpses were already lying there in Pools of Blood.
But the most terrifying thing was the constant clanging sounds in the Air, as well as the Screams and Deathbed Wails that occasionally came through.
"So Strong!"
Akame's Expression turned ugly as she once again witnessed a rapidly passing Flame cut off the head of one of their Secret Agent Personnel right before her eyes. This immediately stopped her forward Footwork.
The Blood spraying from the severed neck represented the complete annihilation of the Secret Police Force at the scene.
"Next, it's your turn, the red-eyed Woman who killed three of my Subordinates."
As the Afterimage stopped and the Flame dissipated, the opponent's appearance reappeared before Akame.
This person wore a blue and yellow Mask on his face, had long, spiky white hair, wore a Black Uniform and Alias, held a Long Saber with a Blade showing fiery red Markings and a White Hilt, and had three burning Flame Magatama Ornaments hanging behind him.
It was none other than Raijin, a Jonin from the Sea Ninja Village!
Not far from him, the Corpses of three Chunin, also wearing Black Uniforms and Aliases, were completely cold. Mysterious black Curse Marks appeared on the surface of their skin.
The reason Raijin chose to clear out the 'irrelevant people' first was to prevent them from distracting his Attention, avoiding the risk of accidentally getting cut by the Blade in the opponent's hand.
Also, the one hiding in the shadows, occasionally shooting a golden Beam, was also very troublesome!
The key was that he had tried to eliminate Akame first, but although the opponent's Strength was significantly weaker than his, the Combat Talent she displayed was extremely astonishing.
Every time he thought he had succeeded, she could always resolve the crisis with various ingenious responses.
He even faintly sensed that this Woman was adapting to his Combat Pace.
"Hmph!"
Akame didn't like talking nonsense. She immediately gripped the Imperial Arms 'Murasame' she had just acquired in her hand, transforming into a dark red Afterimage and charging towards Raijin at high speed.
"To actively attack, your Courage is commendable."
Raijin praised in a deep voice, flicked the Nichirin Blade in his hand, and unleashed the 'First Form: Unknowing Fire' of 'Flame Breathing', transforming his entire body into a long line of fire for a high-speed assault.
However, the fire he created was not just a Phantom Image Special Effect; it also contained real Flame originating from the 'Flame Magatama' behind him.
As for Fire Control and such, who wouldn't know how?
Seeing this, Akame had no intention of clashing head-on. Instead, her Blade moved with her body, stepping with nimble Footwork, either tapping, stabbing, or slashing, like a black and red Butterfly fluttering back and forth along the Edge of the Flame.
This resulted in the two sides appearing to be locked in Combat, yet there was no sound of Blade Collision.
[WHOOSH!]
Suddenly.
A golden Beam streaked through the cool Air, accurately hitting Raijin's back, causing his entire body's movement to pause for a moment.
This Time was very brief, but Akame did not let it pass. The 'Murasame' in her hand turned into a bright Blade Light, and in the blink of an eye, it slashed across Raijin's left arm.
At the same time, her entire being crossed paths with Raijin, and both stood back to back without moving.
"That Touch Sensation again, what exactly is this..."
Akame frowned tightly and turned around, carefully examining Raijin, who seemed unharmed. It was the same before; Murasame clearly touched the opponent's skin, but it just couldn't break through his Defense.
Based on her understanding of Muscles, she was very sure that it wasn't some kind of Martial Arts that hardened the Muscles, but rather like a layer of Tough Armor.
A type of Armor strong enough to withstand Murasame's Blade, and even Mine's Pumpkin Shooting!
"However, I always feel a strange sense of Familiarity, very much like the Aura emitted by a Human Body, but... how could Aura turn into Armor?"
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 573: Cruel, Mocking Smile!
"Their speed is too fast."
Hidden on the edge of Masola Town, on the rooftop of a house, Mine held the Imperial Arms in her arms, which resembled a fantastical firearm, the 'Romantic Artillery: Pumpkin'.
She squinted, staring intently at the two afterimages fighting fiercely amidst the gunfire flashes in the distance, but she hesitated to pull the 'Pumpkin's' trigger.
Initially, when Akame was fighting and retreating, barely able to defend herself even with all her might, Mine could still help with long-range sniping.
However, since then, Akame's engagement distance with the opponent had gotten closer and closer, and the sound of blade collision had also become more frequent.
In this situation, if she were to fire again, it would easily hit Akame.
On the other side.
Raijin, who was constantly using various Sword Techniques of 'Flame Breathing' and unleashing waves of flame, became more and more startled as he fought. The expression beneath his blue and yellow mask as he looked at Akame was already covered in shock.
"H- How is this possible? This guy seems to be using Armament Haki?"
"No!"
"She IS using Armament Haki!!"
Akame, however, was expressionless. Her Mind was completely immersed in this Combat. In a certain profound state, she continuously clashed blades with Raijin, crossing and colliding again. The sparks that burst forth flickered in the air.
Her current speed was so fast that she even created lifelike Afterimage Clones, like more than a dozen people surrounding a ball of flame. The Scene was incredibly spectacular.
However, Akame was no longer overly wary of the intertwined real and illusory flames.
This was because she had naturally mastered the Ability to condense her own Aura into 'Invisible Armor' during the intense Combat.
At the same time.
Akame continued to imitate Raijin's usage of this Ability, wrapping it around her Body Surface and on the 'Murasame' in her hand, using it to defend against the opponent's High Temperature flames.
This had opened up a new World for her.
Akame truly hadn't expected that the Aura emanating from one's Body could be used in such a way.
Before this, the utilization of Aura by Experts like them was limited to releasing it to form Aura or Killing Intent for Intimidation, or for large-scale Perception of others' Aura.
This made her more and more excited as she fought, and the blades she swung became increasingly swift and sharp.
As the River of Time flowed little by little past the two of them amidst the Clanging Sound, Akame had already begun to suppress Raijin, forcing him to use defensive Sword Techniques to block and parry left and right.
[Puchi----]
Just as the Sunset was about to disappear from the horizon, desperately providing the last ray of Sunlight to the World, the blade of 'Murasame' sliced across Raijin's neck.
This time, the latter was no longer unharmed. A splash of hot Blood spurted out.
"Cough... you! You actually... cough--, saw, saw through my movements, could it be..."
In the end, Raijin didn't finish his sentence. He fell to the ground, covering his bleeding neck in disbelief.
Akame looked down at the opponent's Corpse and said softly, deep in thought, "Seeing through movements, huh? Indeed, at that instant just now, I seemed to have sensed your next attack trajectory."
At this moment, no one noticed that the blood-stained 'Murasame' in her hand emitted a faint purple light, which only returned to normal after the Blood belonging to Raijin disappeared from the blade.
"Akame! Akame!"
Mine ran over quickly, holding 'Pumpkin', nervously examining Akame's Body up and down, and asked worriedly, "Are you okay? Are you injured?"
"I'm definitely injured. After all, this person was really Strong. I don't even know how many times I was on the verge of death, but the Imperial Fist Temple's Martial Arts are very useful, at least I don't have to worry about losing too much Blood."
Akame looked at the many blade cuts and Burn Injuries on her Body and smiled at Mine as if nothing had happened.
"That's good. With this, our Mission is also considered complete. Next, we'll return to White Horse Town to protect Captain Sabatini on his return to the Imperial Capital. I'll go to the Hospital with you then to get checked out."
Mine breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Akame was indeed not in serious trouble.
"Okay, but before that, let's first bury these Secret Police Members properly, and then take this person back too!" Akame nodded, then said softly, looking at Raijin's Corpse.
Corpses, sometimes, can provide a lot of Intelligence.
"Also, I have some Matters here that I need to report back..."
Akame raised her head and looked up at the night sky, which had unknowingly become filled with stars, with her deep red eyes. A Cold Wind blew, causing her black hair to sway.
She realized that the Aura Ability she had newly mastered would definitely be of great help to The Empire in its fight against the World Government.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Snow Region.
The ten thousand Main Combat Division led by Douglas Bullet and the ten thousand Auxiliary Legion, including Heavy Tanks, Troop Transport Armored Vehicle groups, and vehicle-mounted Howitzers, had arrived one kilometer outside Sekka Fortress.
"'Ghost Shark' Vice Admiral!"
Charlotte Oven quickly went to greet him, accompanied by two Rear Admirals behind him who served as Brigade Commanders.
Although he was also a Vice Admiral, Bullet not only held the Epithet of Army Admiral Candidate but was also the Frontline Commander of this Legion, so he had to treat him with respect.
However, with Oven's fierce, even somewhat explosive Personality, he could only manage this level. More humility, or even flattery, was out of the question.
Fortunately, Bullet also belonged to the category of Iron-Blooded Generals, so he really liked subordinates like Oven. He was even thinking that when he was promoted to Army General, he would bring this person into his 'Second Main Combat Division'.
Oh, and also that Onigumo.
So Bullet showed Oven a Smile that looked more like a cold sneer.
"You've worked hard. Next, after I take the Fortress, you can take the Auxiliary Legion and head west. By the way, here is a piece of Intelligence about Alchemists and Alchemy."
He took out a Document from the pocket of his Black Coat and handed it to Oven.
This was important Intelligence obtained by the Otherworld Strategy Committee from Modai, who was captured by Tengen Uzui. It wasn't much, but it provided a basic understanding of the Alchemists' Combat style and the basic concepts of Alchemy.
"Understood!"
Charlotte Oven solemnly accepted the Intelligence File and then silently walked to the side to immediately open and read it. This made Bullet appreciate him even more.
Such a good General, giving him to that Akainu guy, wouldn't that be a huge waste?
Thirty minutes later.
Just as the twenty thousand Troops who had just arrived were still resting, Douglas Bullet actually walked towards Sekka Fortress alone, stepping on the Accumulated Snow.
The fierce wind and snow felt like a gentle breeze on his face, unable to shake his massive and imposing five-meter Body in the slightest. At most, they caused the Black Coat behind him to flap loudly.
This scene was naturally seen by the defending troops on the City Wall. They quickly aimed their Cannons at him.
There were no Powerhouses capable of taking charge Inside Kase Fortress at this time.
After all, Governor Numa was dead, and Zhu Tian, the 'Rakshasa' of the Imperial Fist Temple, had also fled back to the Imperial Capital. So now, multiple Captains were jointly commanding the tens of thousands of 'Routed Army' Inside the City.
The truth was, all the slightly higher-ranking Generals had already died in Oven's Sea of Fire.
"Fire! Fire!"
"Blast that Monster to death immediately!!"
Captain Puwen, who was on duty guarding the City Wall today, saw a Giant slowly walking from a distance and frantically shouted to open fire.
Although he didn't know how another unfamiliar Giant had appeared, having witnessed Oven's Ability, which was like a Fire God, he truly dared not let the opponent get close.
Soon, the Roar of Cannon Fire once again echoed throughout the entire Fortress, and Bullet revealed a cruel, mocking Smile...
Chapter 574: Using This as a Deterrent!
[Duang! Duanfg! Duang!]
Captain Puwen and the officers and Soldiers on the Fortress City watched dumbfounded as the Giant in the distance batted away the incoming Cannonballs with his Palm, just like playing with a Ball.
Even when some Cannonballs successfully exploded upon impact, he merely walked out of the Gunsmoke and Gunfire Flash completely unharmed.
These weren't primitive spherical shells, but Conical Shells; their Speed and Caliber had reached the level of Heavy Cannon.
Yet, these were still unable to shake the Armament Haki Coating Douglas Bullet had applied to his Body Surface.
Yes.
He didn't even bother using 'Hardening'.
"Monster! Is he really another Monster?!"
Captain Puwen's Expression was extremely grim, and a wave of Fear surged involuntarily in his Heart. He immediately drew the Long Saber from his Waist and roared loudly, "Shooting! Fire!"
At his Order, the sound of Gunshot erupted on the Fortress.
In truth, he wasn't the only one afraid; the other Soldiers were even more Nervous. They frantically pulled their Triggers, unleashing a rain of dense Bullets towards the gigantic Monster that was getting closer and closer.
The Artillerymen desperately pushed Cannonballs into the Cannon Barrels and fired them off quickly.
At this moment.
Only the Roar of Cannon Fire and the sound of continuous Gunshot could give them a sense of Safety. But it wasn't long before expressions of Despair appeared on their faces.
"How could this happen..."
"Why, why won't that Monster die? Why are the Cannonballs useless against him?!"
An Artilleryman's Body trembled violently, watching Bullet, who was strolling leisurely towards the City Gate ten meters away, in disbelief.
His Eyes were filled with tears from the torment of extreme Fear, and his voice was a sobbing whimper, as if he were crying.
Because he felt he was about to die. As soon as that Monster attacked, he would surely die. This caused his Brain to even start recalling the figures and Smiles of his wife and daughter.
There were countless people on this City Wall with similar thoughts. Some Young People had already closed their eyes, hugging the Rifle in their arms, muttering prayers of unknown meaning while trembling.
Just then, Bullet, who was below the Fortress, stopped his steps, then tilted his head back and shouted up at the Soldiers.
"I am Vice Admiral Douglas Bullet of the World Government's Army Headquarters!"
"Now I'm giving you a chance to live!"
"Lay down your weapons, open the gates, and surrender!"
After speaking, Bullet crossed his arms over his Chest and grinned widely, "I'll only give you five minutes to consider. Once the time is up, I'll kill all of you."
His words were very straightforward, but precisely because of this, the sense of deterrence was even stronger.
Mainly, Bullet felt that if these tens of thousands of Soldiers could be taken Captive, they could soon become his own Auxiliary Soldiers. There was no need to kill them all.
It must be said, he had now completely adopted the Army's Stance when looking at things.
He had already regarded himself as an Admiral of the Army Headquarters!
At this time, the Cannon Fire stopped due to the angle issue, and the gunfire gradually subsided along with his words. The Soldiers on the top of the City Wall all showed expressions of pleasant surprise.
Because they saw the Hope of living!
For a moment, even the low-ranking officers cast their hopeful Gaze towards Captain Puwen.
The Atmosphere became strange amidst the Cold Wind and falling snow...
"Hehehe, if I say no, you guys will shoot me first, right?"
Captain Puwen gave a bitter Smile.
But the Soldiers around him didn't answer his words, still waiting expressionlessly for his Decision. However, some impatient people were already showing signs of wanting to comply.
"Alright, I don't want to die either. I still have a Brat waiting for me at home."
Captain Puwen took a deep breath, afraid that Vice Admiral Barrett below the Fortress wouldn't hear him, and raised his voice to his loudest to give the Order.
"Lower your weapons!"
"Open the gates!"
"Surrender!"
After speaking, he spat on the ground and snorted coldly, "Since The Empire abandoned us first, don't expect us to be loyal to it."
If the Imperial Capital had any intention of providing Aid, they would have used the Imperial Arms called 'Dimensional Array' long ago to teleport Experts and Troops over.
So, since there had been no Commotion until now, they must have definitely abandoned this Northern Snow Region.
As for whether The Empire would implicate their Family because of this, hehe, how could they still care about that now?
If The Empire ultimately won, they might need to worry about settling accounts later.
But now, Captain Puwen and the others simply didn't believe The Empire could defeat the World Government. Didn't they see that even Lord Governor, who was an Imperial Arms User and even held the Epithet 'Northern Brave', was easily defeated?
Even Lord Luosha of the Imperial Fist Temple ran away dejectedly!
The Empire?
To hell with it!
"Not bad, very sensible~"
Bullet below the Fortress nodded in satisfaction, not feeling disgusted by their cowardly act.
Frankly speaking, these people would only serve as the Auxiliary Legion later. His requirements for the Auxiliary Legion were not high; they just needed to serve as Cannon Fodder.
As for loyalty, it was dispensable.
If they were Soldiers of the Main Battle Legion, he would definitely not accept people who would lay down their weapons and surrender. Bullet would kick them to death without hesitation!
Soon.
Bullet's directly subordinate Division officially stationed itself in Sekka Fortress, occupying this capital City of The Empire's Northern Ethnic Autonomous Region. Meanwhile, Charlotte Oven led his Main Combat Division and Auxiliary Legion, marching like a black tide towards the Plato Region further west.
At the same time.
In the south, the Imperial Capital had received the bombing results regarding the second 'Five Paths Revolving Furnace' and twenty-one Conventional Missiles from Captain Sabatini of the Secret Police Force, sent from White Horse Town.
"..."
Inside the Swearing Hall, the Emperor, General Bols, Najenda, Doctor Stylish, Regent Saul, and Minister of Finance Ezra gathered together again, falling into silence as they looked at the several lifelike Diagrams on the table.
The Diagrams showed a Colossal Titan wearing Blood-Patterned Golden Armor and a White Cloak, opening a large green gate with both hands at High Altitude, a scene where he 'absorbed' all the Missiles.
"As expected, Devil Fruit is something very similar to our Imperial Arms. It's not strange for it to have this kind of Space-type Ability."
Doctor Stylish pushed up the Glasses on his nose. His demeanor was incredibly excited, his Eyes filled with curiosity and a desire for Exploration of mysterious things.
"If only I could see a Devil Fruit!"
Najenda and the others were not at all surprised by the Attitude and words of this super scientist. General Bols spoke with a heavy tone, "In that case, we no longer need to think about bombing and destroying the opponent's Star Gate Base with missiles."
"Just like we protected our Imperial Capital with 'Eight Gates Golden Lock', it's not strange for them to have such Means. After all, they are a powerful organization that has already conquered three Worlds."
Najenda, however, expressed no surprise. She then proposed her own Suggestion.
"Since that's the case, we can bomb their external forces. Anyway, although missiles aren't many, they aren't few either."
"Also, the 'Five Paths Revolving Furnace'. Since the opponent used a Space-type Ability to defend against it, it shows they attach great Importance to it. We can completely pretend to have many of these things and use this as a deterrent to negotiate with the opponent."
"Anyway, the opponent couldn't possibly know the exact number!"