With a thunderous explosion, dust exploded beneath Babara's feet as her massive figure tore through the forest like a storm.
Bang!
With overwhelming force, a centuries-old tree thick enough for ten men to encircle was blown apart by Babara's fist.
A human figure was sent flying backward like a ragdoll.
Moments later came a resounding crash.
The body crashed through a line of trees, snapping trunks in half, while the shockwave tore up buried roots and hurled soil high into the air with a crash.
Then, silence...
"Boy, you're not qualified to boast in front of me. Maybe if that old bastard Gozuki came himself, it'd be another story!" Standing tall, Babara's face twisted in fury as she barked out the words.
"Master!" Taeko had just drawn the single-handed sword from her waist.
"It's Lady Babara!"
"She's incredible! Took out that Imperial dog in one blow!"
"No wonder she's one of the Oarburgh syndicate's big shots!"
The Revolutionary soldiers gawked in amazement at the scene. Their squad leader quickly regained composure and barked, "You, check the body!"
"Wait—don't be careless. There should be six others."
From that previous punch alone, Babara could tell—though her blow hadn't landed squarely, that blond man, Najasho, couldn't possibly be unscathed after being caught in the shockwave.
The other six were still lurking nearby. But the thick, metallic scent of blood in the air had dulled Babara's keen sense of smell, making it impossible to track them by scent.
Such a strong stench... was it from all the animals slaughtered in this forest?
Just then, from deep within the dust cloud stirred up by Babara's strike, a furious voice roared, "Guy! Detonate it!"
"Taeko!"
In an instant, the forest erupted in flames.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—!
A series of massive explosions tore through the woods, each blast stronger than the last.
Dust and debris filled the air.
When Babara opened her eyes again, the world seemed to burn around her. The deafening roar of explosions filled her ears, while thick smoke swallowed the Revolutionary soldiers. The air reeked of ash and scorched flesh.
"Cough... Master!" At the moment of the explosion, Babara had pulled Taeko into her arms and slammed her fist into the ground, using the resulting crater and earthen walls to block most of the blast.
"I'm fine... Taeko, stay alert. They're coming."
Standing protectively before her disciple, Babara said gravely, "Now, another lesson—cornered beasts fight back. Let your guard down, and you'll pay for it."
Tearing off her tattered black cloak—now little more than burnt rags—Babara's bronzed, muscular arms gleamed in the firelight.
"Cough... Die!"
Though coughing up blood, Najasho emerged at blinding speed, his once-pristine white uniform now torn and dirt-stained. Yet in his hand, his Shingu Water-Dragon Sword still shimmered faintly as he charged.
Slash!
In an instant, he cleaved a Revolutionary soldier in half. Despite his injuries, there was no sign of weakness in his movements.
So it's enhancement drugs... Babara noted silently, spotting the bloodied syringe marks along Najasho's arm.
She reached behind her back, where a massive broadsword hung diagonally. With one arm, she drew it free.
Clang...
The heavy blade struck the ground, carving a deep furrow through the soil as Babara walked forward, the edge scraping against stones with a shrill metallic screech.
"Boy, let's see how much of Gozuki's swordsmanship you've mastered!"
As she spoke, Babara's robust muscles tightened—then, in a blur, she closed the hundred-step gap between them.
From above, she swung her broadsword down in a simple but devastating strike!
Najasho raised his slender blade to meet it. The difference in size was absurd—like a toothpick trying to block a club.
"Water-Dragon Sword—Full Release!"
A thunderous roar shook the air. For a brief moment, the dust suspended midair, frozen in place.
Then, the ground beneath their feet shattered and sank, spiderweb cracks spreading outward in all directions. The shockwave toppled nearby trees, exposing their roots to the open air.
"AAAHHHHH—!"
The Shingu Water-Dragon Sword granted the user enhanced strength and partial dragonification for three minutes of boosted combat power.
Under Najasho's full release, his limbs began to thicken and sharpen, covered by heavy, hardened scales. His black boots and white gloves tore apart as his body expanded, while his pupils turned into bright aqua-blue slits and fine scales appeared across his cheeks.
"Cornelia! Now! Kill them all!!!"
In his dragonified state, Najasho's voice roared like that of a beast, echoing through the forest.
At that command, the rest of the Elite Seven—save for Green—rushed out from the shadows. Leading the charge was Cornelia, her silver-gray gauntlet Crushing King flashing as her hand shot forward.
Bang!
Her palm slammed squarely against the forehead of a Revolutionary squad leader. The sound was faint—but his entire body was hurled backward.
Blood poured from his mouth, nose, and ears as his brain was crushed under Cornelia's strike.
"Captain Ruby!"
Filled with rage, Taeko gripped her longsword tightly and charged at Cornelia.
But unlike the original records, this Cornelia held nothing back. She had no intention of underestimating her foe, nor of showing mercy.
"Crushing King—Shock Defense!"
"Spiral Slash!"
...
The battlefield divided clearly: Cornelia and Taeko clashed fiercely, while Akame and Guy joined forces to assault Babara. Meanwhile, Poney and Tsukushi unleashed a merciless massacre upon the remaining Revolutionary soldiers.
"Path of Freedom!"
Empowered by her Shingu's enhancement, Poney leaped into the air like a predator among prey, using the thick forest trees as stepping stones.
With every kick and stomp, she used the heads of enemy soldiers as footholds. Each time she landed, necks snapped or ribcages shattered with sickening crunches.
Tsukushi, on the other hand, was more direct—each pull of her trigger, each crack from Prometheus, claimed another life. One bullet, one kill.
Within moments, the Revolutionary soldiers were utterly annihilated.
Even among Imperial forces, the difference between Shingu or Teigu users and regular troops was devastatingly clear. Here, that gap was shown in its most brutal form.
By now, Najasho's heart was overflowing with wild exhilaration. Truthfully, if the entire Oarburgh assassination syndicate had come after them, they would've had no chance to strike back.
But Oarburgh's arrogance—sending only Babara and Taeko—had given Najasho the opening he needed.
A chance to fight back!
It seemed that Green's contingency plan wouldn't be necessary after all...
But then—
A languid, seductive female voice began to chant softly from afar, sending a chill down Najasho's spine as if he had fallen into an icy abyss.
"I am the fang of the Death God Oarburgh..."