With the black giant's thunderous war cry—
BOOM!
As if in answer to his roar, the five-meter-tall outer walls of the estate shattered instantly. One after another, towering warriors clad in jet-black power armor marched into the manor grounds.
Their advance was accompanied by rumbling earthshakes, the heavy thud of synchronized boots, and a unified, deafening battle cry—
"For Selene!" × N
Though their numbers were far fewer than the Imperial Security Division soldiers trailing behind them, their sheer momentum was overwhelming—like a tidal wave of steel and fury.
"H-how... how is this possible? My attack was split apart..." Mine stood frozen, Pumpkin still raised in her trembling hands.
Seeing the black-armored giants raise their massive rifles, Lubbock's pupils contracted sharply. "Damn it! Mine, stop spacing out—move!"
"Hold on tight!" he shouted, launching a thread to pull her back up.
"Target identified: Imperial traitor—Tennyson, former Imperial Captain, adjutant to the renegade Najenda. Authorization: terminate on sight."
"Detection: Teigu—Demon Armor · Incursio. User identity: unknown."
"Detection: former officer of Najenda's regiment—Lubbock. Status conflicts with prior death report. Probability of faked death: confirmed. Subject classified as traitor."
"Detection: Imperial Capital lower-district slum resident—Leone."
"Unidentified individuals. No matching Imperial Census data."
Hearing the monotone mechanical voices of the black-armored warriors, Tennyson and the rest of Night Raid's assassins turned pale. These machines... they'd dug up everything about their pasts.
"Terminate all targets! Open fire!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Instantly, the manor erupted in gunfire. The deep roar of high-caliber weapons filled the air, unending.
Under the enhanced targeting systems of their helmets, the faint wires that Lubbock had laid down offered no protection—they were severed in moments.
Caught under the relentless barrage, the Night Raid operatives, deprived of their thread supports, retreated into what remained of the shattered manor.
"Who the hell are these guys?" Leone snarled, ducking behind a column as shards of marble exploded around her.
"They must be soldiers from the Habsburg Duchess' estate!" Tennyson growled through gritted teeth from the corner.
He didn't have time to wonder why these troops were so muscular and massive—but from the golden double-headed eagle engraved on their chestplates, he knew the truth.
They were Selene's soldiers.
"The upper district really is untouchable!" he spat. "All our missions—clean and quick in the middle districts—but the moment we step up here, we lose two people!"
"At this rate, we'll all die here! We need an escape route... wait, I've got it!"
Tapping his finger against the ground, Tennyson's gaze sharpened as he looked at the gold and silver trinkets shattered by gunfire.
"A manor this big has to have a drainage system. Lubbock, find it with your threads—our lives depend on you!"
"Got it! Leave it to me!"
Bang! Bang! Click-click!
"They're reloading!" Leone shouted, her beast-enhanced senses picking up the subtle shift in gunfire rhythm.
"Hiding won't save us. I'll hold them off!" she said, sprinting out before anyone could stop her.
"Boss!" "Leone!"
"She never listens... but she's right. Stay here and we'll all die," Tennyson barked. "Bulat, we'll cover the rear. Lubbock, take Mine and the two newcomers—find that drain!"
With that, Tennyson and Bulat charged out into the storm of bullets.
...
As the smoke cleared, Akame and Cornelia finally got a clear look at the black giant before them.
Over three meters tall, he was clad in ornate, black power armor signifying command rank. In his hands gleamed a golden-winged longsword; his helmet bore crimson twin wings; and across his chest shone the golden double-headed eagle of Selene. A red-and-white cloak draped from his shoulders.
"He's... he's huge... just like the golden guards in Selene's palace..." Akame murmured, wide-eyed with awe.
"Not at all," rumbled the deep, metallic voice of the giant. "We are but common warriors—no comparison to our Lady's Royal Guard."
Common warriors? Akame blinked, dumbfounded. If these are 'common,' what does that make us—disposable soldiers?
Though the Empire had no concept of "Versailles behavior," Akame and Cornelia exchanged a look—each clearly thinking the same thing.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alex... hmm, Miss Akame, that Honkai crystal you're holding—our Lady's gift. Its function is not as simple as you imagine. Do not use it so lightly."
Inside his helmet, Alex's facial-recognition interface had already identified both Akame and Cornelia. He gestured toward the violet-red crystal in Akame's hand as he spoke, his tone serious.
"Also, Miss Cornelia's waist injury is quite severe. If untreated, it could lead to permanent damage." Turning slightly, he called out, "Medicae!"
"Here, sir!"
"These two are in your care."
"Yes, Commander!" A black-armored giant approached Cornelia, carefully assessing her wounds. A crimson cross insignia was engraved on his left pauldron.
With that, Alex rose to his full height, golden-winged sword in hand, and stepped to the front line. "Cease fire."
At that instant—
"Tin can! Die!"
Leone burst from the ruins with a roar, driving her fist straight at the nearest Astartes warrior reloading his weapon. The air howled around her punch.
But—THUD!
"What—?!"
The Astartes soldier caught her feline "Meow Fist" effortlessly with one hand. Setting his gun onto the magnetic latch at his waist, he drove his other fist straight into Leone's abdomen with devastating force.
"Gah—!!"
Blood spewed from Leone's mouth, splattering across the Astartes' black armor.
"Y-you bastard... guh—"
Pinned in his grip, Leone struggled fiercely, her beast-clawed hands raking wildly across the armored plating.
"Futile."
To an Astartes warrior, there was no such thing as mercy for the weak. Grabbing both of Leone's clawed arms, he lifted her bodily off the ground.
With a mechanical clack, a purple-red energy blade extended from his wrist, humming with lethal intent.
Slash—!
"Ah—!" Two pale arms were severed cleanly, tumbling through the air before Leone collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from the stumps.
"Leone!!" Tennyson and Bulat roared in horror, their eyes burning with fury at the sight of their fallen comrade.
"Hmph. Rats of the gutter... she's yours to collect."
With a contemptuous kick, the Astartes warrior sent Leone's limp body hurtling backward—straight into Tennyson's chest. The sheer force of impact sent them both crashing through the rubble of the manor, disappearing beneath the debris.