"Then let's get started."
Arata Hayashi looked at Esdeath, rolling the demon chess piece between his fingers with a calm smile.
"Take off your clothes first."
"Eh?"
Esdeath blinked, clearly startled.
Take off clothes? To place a chess piece?
Her expression shifted slightly as she asked, "Does that include… the pants too?"
"…" Arata froze.
Did she completely misunderstand?
He sighed inwardly — this was not the direction he had in mind.
Shaking his head, he said, "Just your coat. And face me."
"Ah, I see."
For some reason, Esdeath felt a small pang of disappointment.Still, when she looked at Arata's calm, composed face — handsome, almost divine — she smiled faintly to herself.
Forget it… there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.
"This woman is dangerous," Leone muttered, narrowing her eyes.
"Leone, we're companions now, not enemies," Akame said quietly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be so hostile."
"Companions? Sure," Leone sighed, rubbing her forehead. We were here first… and now this ice queen just—She couldn't even finish the thought.
By then, Esdeath had already slipped off her coat — the faint gleam of her white skin shimmering under the palace lights.It felt like standing before a calm, boundless ocean.
Arata didn't hesitate. He placed the demon chess piece against her chest.
"—Mm…!"
A faint groan escaped Esdeath's lips, her face tinged with pink.Even though she was a warrior who had slaughtered countless enemies, in that moment, she was undeniably… a woman.
She glanced up at Arata.
Master… you seem to be enjoying this, aren't you?
Her lips curved into a teasing smile, eyes gleaming with mischief.
But before she could say more, a dark red magic circle flared to life beneath her feet.
Her expression shifted — first surprise, then intensity.
Her body began to change.
"Hot… it's so hot…"
Power surged through her veins, overflowing, reshaping her from within.
Then — whoosh!
Two pairs of dark, bat-like wings spread wide from her back.
A long, slender devil's tail emerged, swaying lazily against the marble floor.
"It's… long," Arata murmured, eyes gleaming with interest.
Among all his followers, Esdeath's tail was easily the longest — elegant and dangerous.
"Would you like to touch it, Master?"Esdeath's voice was soft and teasing, her tail curling toward him invitingly.
Arata smiled and reached out, gripping the tail gently — then kneaded it.
"Ah—!"
Esdeath's entire body trembled, her breath catching in her throat.
Her skin flushed red as her icy-blue eyes shimmered faintly with tears.
"Are you… satisfied, Master?" she whispered breathlessly.
Arata chuckled, releasing her tail with a faint grin.
Even then, Esdeath didn't retract it. Instead, she let it sway side to side — a wordless provocation.
Leone watched from the side, dumbfounded.
"Is this really the same General Esdeath that once made the whole empire tremble…? She's basically a walking temptation now."
She sighed, utterly defeated. There's no winning against that.
"Are you provoking me?"Arata raised an eyebrow, amusement in his tone.
"Of course not, my Lord," Esdeath said sweetly. Her ice-blue eyes gleamed with charm as she finally withdrew her wings and tail.
After all, Akame and Leone were still present.There were some things that shouldn't be witnessed — at least, not yet.
A few days later…
After Esdeath's reincarnation as a demon, the entire empire was shaken once again.
Officials who once hoped her return would bring order realized all hope was lost.Many submitted quietly, content just to keep their lives.
For Arata, however, life became calmer. He spent most of his time reading or guiding his followers in training.
But there was one matter he cared about most — Imperial Arms technology.
"My Lord, this is the restored Imperial Weapon research based on the royal archives,"said one of the alchemists respectfully, handing him a thick stack of documents.
They were led by none other than Dr. Stylish, now serving under Arata's command.
The empire was completely within Arata's grasp — and that included its scientists.
[Origin +15][Origin +17]
As he scanned the documents, Arata's eyes lit up.
It was real.These techniques could truly work.
If it were a lie, the [Origin] counter wouldn't have responded.
"Excellent work," Arata said with rare praise.
"My Lord, it is our greatest honor to serve," Dr. Stylish bowed deeply. "However, while the theory is sound, rare materials are still needed — particularly those from Super Dangerous Species."
Arata raised an eyebrow. "I see. Any leads?"
"Yes, my Lord. Besides the known species, there are rumors of a King of Dangerous Species — far to the west."
Dr. Stylish hesitated, then continued."It's said that long ago, the empire tried to forge an Imperial Arm from its body… but all attempts failed."
He didn't need to say more. The implication was clear.
If they wanted to craft the strongest Imperial Weapon, the King of Dangerous Species was the key.
"A King of Dangerous Species, huh…" Arata murmured, eyes narrowing.
Such a thing was never mentioned in the original timeline.
But then again — this was reality, not fiction.There were bound to be powerful beings the world had yet to uncover.
Didn't even a devil like me cross the borders of worlds?
His lips curled into a grin.
"Looks like I'll be paying this 'king' a visit."
In his mind, the creature's fate was already sealed — it would become material for his next creation.
At that moment, Najenda entered the hall, her face serious.
"What's the matter?" Arata asked, dismissing the alchemists with a wave.
"The Revolutionary Army has started moving," she reported. "They've gathered nearly a million soldiers, and at their current pace, they'll reach the Imperial Capital soon."
"How should we respond?"
Arata's smile widened.
"Finally. I was beginning to get bored."
He rose from his seat, eyes glowing faintly red.
"Call Esdeath and the others. Crush their army completely."
He paused for a moment, then added with a smirk:
"And as for the Emperor… he's practically useless now. Let him use the Supreme Imperial Arm one last time before he dies."
After that, it would all be over.
Then he could begin harvesting the knowledge and power of this world — every drop of its extraordinary science and sorcery.
This world would be the foundation for his next evolution.
As for peace, prosperity, and stability?
Those were just convenient side effects.
"Yes, my Lord," Najenda bowed. Her expression didn't change — not anymore.
After all, she had already witnessed what true power meant.
A million-strong army might sound terrifying to humans.
But for beings like him — it was barely worth noticing.