In the center coach of the convoy, Minister Tōri was reading today's newspaper. …
"Ha—! As expected of the heir I set my sights on. Even without this old man, that kid Akuto has carved out a place for himself in the Imperial Capital!"
At his words, the short-haired beauty beside him—long spear in hand—lifted her weapon with bright excitement.
"Yes! Akuto-sama is as outstanding as ever!"
The short-haired girl was named Chomo, Minister Tōri's daughter and one of Sai Akuto's childhood friends.
In the original plot, Minister Tōri's convoy to the Imperial Capital was ambushed by the Three Beasts. Not only did the Minister die, even Chomo had her face peeled off by the "Nyau" among them.
"Hahaha—Outstanding, is he? True, that brat Akuto… he's quite exceptional~"
Minister Tōri recalled the letter Akuto had sent him more than a month ago.
If not for Akuto's request—
[Trying to use this old man as bait, are you? That stinking brat Akuto—when I see him, I'll smack him good with my cane!]
Though displeased with Akuto's "not-by-the-book" approach, Minister Tōri understood well: in extraordinary times, one must act extraordinarily.
Only with loyal ministers—better than treacherous ones—can treacherous ones be countered!
[Loyal ministers, eh? That might have been fine before, but after I retired, the more I look at that brat Akuto, the less he seems like a mere loyal minister.]
[Secretly expanding such vast power in Anvale City and across Xianxi Prefecture—if I were still a sitting minister, I'd also be… ahem… taking precautions on my "inspection trips."]
[If I'm not mistaken, he's aiming to become a "Regent" or even a "Proxy Emperor," isn't he?]
[Well, that's fine. The current sovereign is a girl; if a power-holder can steer one reign into good governance and then hand the throne to the next emperor born from their union… No matter how you look at it, that's a highly cost-effective deal.]
[It's just… my poor daughter——]
He looked at his daughter—face beaming, brimming with anticipation to meet Akuto—and let out a long sigh.
From Akuto's letter, he already knew: Akuto had subdued those who once tried to assassinate him; even the one styled as a "Queen" had become Akuto's subordinate. [TN: the raw reads "Queen Nanze/南泽"; source wording is unclear.]
If his daughter knew that upon returning to the Imperial Capital she'd face so many powerful rivals, there's no way she'd be this happy, right?
As they proceeded, the convoy suddenly came to a halt.
"7" [TN: garbled character in source]
Minister Tōri lifted his head and peered out through the gap in the curtain.
Upon seeing who stood blocking the road, he flung the curtain open and stepped out.
"If this old man isn't mistaken, you are General Liver," he said, calling Liver by his true name.
Liver bowed slightly, paying respect to the former minister.
"Former Minister Tōri, I greatly admire your political acumen—and admire even more how you handled matters when problems arose.
However, to enact my lord's will… I must see you remain here forever!"
"Ou!!"
Even as Liver's words fell, the ring on his hand flashed blue—
A razor-sharp water blade shot forth, beheading straight for Minister Tōri's neck!
At that split second, a streak of silver light!
"Hah!"
With a heavy clang, the slicing water flow was cleaved cleanly in half by a silver metallic gleam!
The one who intercepted the water blade was a purple-haired beauty in a violet qipao—Silver.
Minister Tōri exhaled in relief. He had a self-defense tool Akuto gave him, yes—but facing such peril at close range was a bit much for these old bones.
"Night Raid, is it? Respond!"
A smile tugged at Liver's lips.
Just as Esdeath-sama predicted, Night Raid had indeed come to stop them!
However, Liver's smile didn't last.
The very next moment—
BOOOOOM!!!
A colossal golden beam lanced in from afar, slamming into Daidara, the hulking brute standing behind Liver like a gate guardian!
"Aaaaaaahhh!!"
Before he fully registered the incoming beam, Daidara's body was already engulfed completely!
As the golden beam swept past, its scorching afterglow seared the ground. [TN: source line garbled]
"An annihilating radiance…!"
Realizing what it meant, Liver abandoned all composure and dove into the brush to the side!
His judgment proved correct. The very instant he threw himself into the grass—
A coach in the convoy burst open, and three figures plunged down from above!
Leone clasped both fists together and hammered down toward the blond boy below.
"—!!"
"—OHH!"
Caught without time to harden himself, Nyau was smashed into a puddle of gore!
"Daidara! Nyau!"
Liver never expected to lose two people this fast!
"Damn it! I'll avenge you!"
[Water Block Bullets!]
Commanding the Water Dragon Ring, he pulled water from the environment, shaping high-pressure blocks to blast forward.
Facing the oncoming barrage, Leone swung her fists continuously to bat them aside.
"Ora! Ora! Ora! OraOraOraOra!!"
The more Leone fought, the more fired-up she became—she alone was stalling Liver's momentum.
"You fell for it."
Watching the now-soaked Leone, Liver's lips curled.
"Yayayaya!"
In the next second, the water froze into ice, locking Leone's movement in an instant!
"Behold! This is the flawless combo between me and Esdeath-sama!"
After absorbing that blood-red energy, Leone's skin exuded a thin film of golden aura—a fusion of will and life!
Crack—crack—crack!
She shattered the ice at her feet with ease, stomped down, and lunged straight for Liver!
"Don't underestimate me!"
Bleeding from seven orifices, General Liver unleashed his ultimate—
[Water-Dragon Heavenly Conquest!]
"Ou! Ka—fe—ka—fe!!" [TN: battle cry; raw garbled]
Groundwater surged up—countless water dragons coiled around Liver.
With Esdeath coordinating, the water dragons rapidly transmuted into ice dragons, their numbers soaring—[TN: raw shows "200,000"; clearly garbled—treated as hyperbole].
"Haaahhhhhh——!!"
Sensing Esdeath closing in, Leone also went all-in—
She sprang up on the spot and stomped down with a meteor-like smash—
[Lion's Flying Kick!]
Not a special secret technique—
Just Leone's all-out kick after funneling blood and qi into her steps!
Rrrrrrrip—!
Empowered by golden fighting spirit, Leone's flying kick pierced through several ice dragons in a row and went straight for Liver's chest!
"Guh—!!"
With no pause at all, after tearing through the ice dragons, Leone squashed Liver like clay—reducing him to a slick of gore under her heel!
"Night Raid—reinforcements!"
At this point, Esdeath finally arrived, fashionably late.
[Grey Ice Lance!] [TN: raw reads "灰色椅角 / gray chair corner," evidently a typo for an ice-type thrust]
A razor ice-spear shot straight from Esdeath's position toward Leone!
"Esdeath!"
Leone threw her head back and roared—[TN: raw "MAURETH旺!" is garbled]—
At their very first clash, Leone and Esdeath met in direct confrontation!
With Esdeath's entry, the battle exploded into a white-hot phase.
Leone and Mine shouldered the heaviest burden, taking point against Esdeath.
Against a solo, evolved Leone, Esdeath could still barely keep her suppressed—but add Mine's support fire from afar, and even Esdeath was pressed!
After all, Leone now possessed the team's strongest defense and regeneration!
Since Leone didn't fear injury, Mine didn't need to hold back for allied safety—she could unleash beam after beam right across both Leone and Esdeath!
Even if Leone got hit, she'd heal fast—so just pour it on! Keep blasting! Keep spamming those shots!
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(End of Chapter)
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