The sound of approaching footsteps drew the attention of both sides, momentarily halting the tense standoff.
From the pace and clarity of the steps, it was clear that more than one person was approaching—and more importantly, they were completely unaffected by Nyau's Teigu, Military Music Dream [Scream]. The arrival of such individuals could significantly alter the tide of the battle, perhaps even decide its outcome entirely.
Under everyone's gaze, Haruki emerged from a nearby hall, carrying Lina in his arms. Following behind him were Gin, Yuki, Chelsea, and Sayo. The group stepped into full view.
"Hm? Greetings, Lord Haruki."
Recognizing Haruki at the lead, the Three Beasts visibly relaxed. They quickly dropped to one knee and bowed respectfully.
In stark contrast, Bulat and Tatsumi tensed up the moment they saw him. If things had been evenly matched before, Bulat now felt that he and Tatsumi were staring death in the face.
In an instant, Bulat activated his Teigu—Demon Armor [Incursio]—and donned a set of heavy armor. A uniquely shaped firearm appeared in his hand: the Teigu sidearm, Neuntote.
Tatsumi didn't let his guard down either. With a flick of his fingers, a white spear materialized in his grip.
Nyau, having seen Haruki's arrival, had stopped playing his Teigu, Military Music Dream [Scream], allowing Tatsumi to recover from the dazed state he had been in moments before.
"Huh? I didn't expect you to be able to use the Teigu Infinite Uses [Cross Tail]."
Haruki sounded mildly surprised as he watched Tatsumi. He wasn't shocked by Bulat's transformation—but seeing Tatsumi wield Lubbock's former Teigu, that was unexpected.
Back when they'd encountered Night Raid and the Revolutionary Army near the outskirts of the capital, Kurome had, in a fit of fury, taken down the entire Night Raid group solo. Lubbock, the previous user of Infinite Uses [Cross Tail], had been obliterated by a single strike, leaving behind only grotesque remains. It had been so appalling that Haruki and the others hadn't even bothered reclaiming the Teigu when they left.
He never imagined Tatsumi would be the one to pick it up.
That thought troubled Haruki for a moment. Despite his efforts to keep the plot from deviating too far from the original, things had clearly changed dramatically. In the original timeline, Tatsumi's Teigu should have been Demon Armor [Incursio]… right?
Still, Haruki quickly let go of the thought. The reason he'd wanted to preserve the original sequence of events was because he feared that his presence might prevent important characters from appearing. But now that most of them had already shown up, there was no need to hold back. No matter how things turned out, Haruki believed he had the strength to deal with anything.
"You three, rise. Is Esdeath here?"
Haruki turned to the Three Beasts, his tone calm. Given how the story had shifted, he wasn't sure if Esdeath was still on the ship.
"Reporting, Lord Haruki. We're only here to carry out a mission Lady Esdeath assigned us. She's not on board."
Liver replied with deep respect. Though he had never seen Haruki fight, Esdeath's usual tone when speaking about him—and the way she behaved in his presence—left no doubt that Haruki was far from ordinary. Knowing Esdeath's sadistic and dominant nature, Liver understood that she would never submit to someone weaker than herself.
"Oh, I see."
Haruki turned his gaze to Bulat.
"You're Bulat, right? I can see you're a real warrior. Why not quit Night Raid? I can personally guarantee your pardon—and even make you a general of the Empire. Think about it."
Haruki had a good impression of Bulat. In the original story, Bulat had shown strong will and great potential. If he hadn't died, Haruki believed he would have gone far. Most importantly, Bulat didn't seem to share the underhanded scheming so common in the Revolutionary Army. He was a man of integrity.
"Sorry, Security Minister, but I won't betray Night Raid. Besides, you killed Lubbock—we're enemies now. So your offer means nothing."
Bulat, clad in his Teigu Demon Armor [Incursio], held the Redback Shrike firmly in his hand. His voice was steady, and his eyes never left Haruki for a second.
"I see. That's unfortunate. And you, Tatsumi? Planning to fight to the death like Bulat? I don't think you two stand a chance."
Haruki didn't sound surprised, only mildly regretful. But since they had chosen to reject his offer, that made them enemies. Admiration alone wasn't enough for Haruki to show mercy—he wasn't one to feign compassion.
After addressing Bulat, Haruki turned his attention to Tatsumi, who stood beside him. He didn't want to kill Sayo's childhood friend right in front of her. That would be unnecessarily cruel.
"Tatsumi, you should surrender. You're no match for the young master. If this continues, you'll die."
Since becoming Haruki's woman, Sayo had seen firsthand the terrifying power of his group. Seeing Haruki give Tatsumi a chance, she couldn't help but speak up. Even though she was still a bit angry about how Tatsumi once tried to recruit her as a Revolutionary Army spy, she didn't want to see him die.
"No. I won't betray the Revolutionary Army or anyone else. I'm not the weakling I used to be—I'm strong now. I won't let what happened to Lubbock happen again. People like you... I'll wipe you all out!"
Tatsumi glanced at Bulat beside him, then at the Teigu Infinite Uses [Cross Tail] in his hand. His voice was firm, without hesitation.
Lubbock's death had left a deep scar. They had lived and fought side by side for a long time, and the bond they shared wasn't something easily forgotten. Driven by that loss, Tatsumi had thrown himself into training under Bulat's guidance. With the Teigu in hand, he'd grown much stronger in a short time—and now, he believed in that strength.
"Tatsumi…"
Sayo's voice trembled slightly as she watched him ignore her completely. Just as she was about to try again, Haruki raised a hand to stop her.
"So, neither of you plans to surrender? Then I hope you're ready… to be punished."
Haruki's tone was calm, almost indifferent. From the way he spoke, it was clear—this wasn't a fight in his eyes. It was punishment for those too weak to follow his lead.