"Forget it, none of this matters."
Esdeath's tone was sharp, the faintest smile on her lips. "Your strength alone is enough to make me go all out."
Buzz!
A deep vibration filled the air. Esdeath's aura changed entirely — the pressure thickened, and the sky outside grew heavy with dark clouds. The entire palace was swallowed by a suffocating cold.
"What is this…?" Najenda's eyes widened in disbelief.
Even Akame and Leone, both reborn as demons, looked grim.
Esdeath had actually altered the heavens with her power alone.
Under everyone's gaze, she raised one hand. Her white uniform fluttered in the freezing wind as invisible waves of energy rippled outward.
"Ice Cavalry!"
Whoosh!
Instantly, the palace filled with dense, white mist. The temperature plummeted — the kind of cold that could freeze the soul itself.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thunder cracked through the mist, shaking the very foundation of the palace. As the smoke cleared, rows of half-human, half-horse ice cavalry stood in perfect formation — thousands of them, stretching far beyond the eye could see.
Their killing intent surged to the heavens, each one radiating the aura of death.
"What… what are those things?"The palace guards trembled in shock. Tens of thousands of soldiers, born from nothing but Esdeath's will?
"This move was meant for war," Esdeath said between breaths, her eyes gleaming brighter than ever. "It's the first time I've used it in full."
Rumble!
The frozen army charged in unison — an unstoppable tide of ice and killing intent rushing toward Arata.
The palace shook under their assault, the air thick with destruction.
"Master, be careful!" Akame and Leone shouted together.
Even the Beast Trio looked terrified.Is she even human?Her power alone was equivalent to an army.
Beneath that overwhelming onslaught, Arata Hayashi stood motionless — calm, steady, and faintly smiling.
"Impressive… truly extraordinary in this world."
He lifted a hand, and in that moment, a massive magic circle appeared above, spanning the entire sky. Lightning coiled and danced across it like living serpents.
Crack! BOOM!
A storm of divine thunder descended.
The explosion tore through heaven and earth — a mushroom cloud rose, light devouring the palace, ice cavalry shattering into mist in a single instant.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The air itself screamed. The shockwaves reached miles away, shaking the land.
When the dust settled, Arata lowered his hand, grinning faintly.
"Heh… maybe that was a little too much."
But he had no regrets. There were too many enemies to fight one by one — this was faster.
In the distance, Najenda and the others peeked out from the rubble, their faces pale, unable to speak. They couldn't even comprehend what they'd just witnessed.
A soft crack echoed.
Esdeath stood amid the shattered ice, her barrier fractured. She stumbled, but didn't fall. Instead, she found herself caught in a pair of strong arms — his.
Her chest rose and fell as she looked up into his crimson eyes.
"You win."
With a soft smile, she reached up and brushed his cheek with her fingertips.
"So… how should I address you, Master?"
A small smirk crossed Arata's face.
"If you wish to call me that already, I don't mind."
Without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms and carried her toward another palace.
"You're… really domineering," Esdeath murmured, a faint blush coloring her face. But her lips curved upward — this feeling wasn't unpleasant.It was thrilling.
Inside the palace, the two stood before Akame, Leone, and Najenda.
"So, you're a devil?" Esdeath asked after hearing his explanation. Her gaze turned toward Akame and Leone. "And you reincarnated these two as devils too?"
"That's right," Arata said with a calm nod. "And now, it's your turn."
Esdeath met his gaze and smiled alluringly.
"Oh? I'm looking forward to that."
"Not surprised at all?" he asked.
She shook her head slowly. "No."
She was surprised — of course she was. But the truth she'd lived by since childhood hadn't changed: the weak obey the strong.
She had lost. That was all that mattered.
Even if he were the Devil himself, she would still follow him.
Besides, becoming a devil might make her stronger.She'd seen the overwhelming power he just displayed — something far beyond what she once believed was "the strongest."
In the end, she was the one gaining more.
Pushing a strand of blue hair behind her ear, she said softly yet firmly:
"Master, shall we begin?"
Arata smiled faintly. "As expected of you."
"If that's your resolve… then stay by my side, for this life and the next."
A rare, gentle smile bloomed on Esdeath's lips.
"Of course, my Lord."
Arata lifted his hand, and a chess piece appeared — glowing faintly with demonic power.
"…?" Esdeath blinked, confused.A chess piece?
"This," Arata explained, "is a devil's chess piece. Place it inside your body, and your reincarnation will be complete."
"I see…" Esdeath nodded slowly, then paused. Her expression grew slightly awkward.
"Um… where exactly am I supposed to… put this thing?"
She glanced down at herself instinctively, lost in thought.