Chapter 14 Festive Mood (8)
As Natal was getting ready to leave, a knock at the door was heard. Judging by the precise timing between knocks, it seemed Babe was paying us a visit.
"I'll open it," the blond guy got up from his seat and went to the door.
"Would you like some tea?" I asked the newcomer.
"No, I won't be here long," Babe took out something wrapped in a white cloth. "You asked. Done."
Unwrapping the cloth, he handed me a wooden figure of a snake-like dragon coiled around a mountain peak. Upon holding it in my hands, I understood why its creator mercilessly destroyed prototypes, deeming them unsuccessful. At first glance, it was clear that I was holding not just an unusual snake carved from a piece of wood, but a figurine of a real Eastern Dragon, coiled around a mountain. One of the few beings of an uncategorized rank, considered ancient and legendary even since the foundation of the Empire, it commanded respect even in the form of a statuette.
Power. Arrogance. And... loneliness. These were the words that came to my mind as I examined the work of the quietest member of our group.
"Wow! With such talent, you could have been a famous sculptor in the Empire if you hadn't joined the Squad," I genuinely admired the work of the big guy. "Incredible."
"May I?" Natal reached out his hand.
"Here you go," I handed the figurine to my curious friend.
"No," Babe shook his head slightly. "I would have died. My aunt wanted to sell me to beggars. Those from the Underground Base offered more. Lucky."
I just sighed. If the Base commanders were monsters, how should one describe people like Babe's aunt? How could anyone have thought of selling their flesh and blood to those who mutilated children "so that they could do a better job of begging more"? I couldn't comprehend it, nor did I want to. A fair death at the jaws of a monster or from an enemy's weapon was a hundred times better than the kind of existence to which the older relative was willing to condemn little Babe.
And for what? Just to get a meager handful of coins!
"And for the sake of creatures like them, you've decided to leave me and join the terrorists, Akame?” I thought angrily. “Do you think, after overthrowing the 'rotten regime,' a utopia will be ushered in? No, sis. If such people can be brought into a bright future, then only with the help of a whip!"
Not that I despised the lower class from which I myself hailed, but I didn't harbor any misconceptions about the "wisdom" and "goodness" of the common folk. Occasionally there were truly good people among them, more often they were bad, and most fell somewhere in between.
"I'm going," Babe said.
"Yes, me too," Natal turned to follow Babe.
"Don't forget to remind our chatterbox friend about his upcoming sessions of therapeutic beaters!"
* * *
"Are you prepared to feel a portion of the Great Lady of the Dead's power, pitiful mortal?" I haughtily asked Kei Li, who stood before me. "Taste my blade!" My training sword was pointed straight at my opponent.
"I see the 'Hero of the Spear' suits your fancy, Kurome-chan," he smirked.
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"Eh, you ruined the whole moment, you could have played along," I said with a sigh, slightly lowering my shoulders and pretending that I was distracted by the audience who were at a distance. Or rather, snacks that they took with them, as the guys were preparing for a picnic.
We arrived at the partially destroyed tower, armed with a couple of baskets of food and drinks. The patch of land, overgrown with thorny bushes and withering trees, didn't exactly live up to its lofty title as a "natural" setting, but who cared?
As soon as I averted my gaze, Kei, maintaining the same expression of merriment and relaxation, suddenly accelerated and launched an attack. Or at least that was his plan. In reality, I started moving simultaneously with him, even slightly earlier. Thanks to my newly acquired "jerk" ability, I was noticeably faster than my unprepared comrade, successfully ambushing him in the middle of his move. Enhanced perception allowed me to feel even the maximum speed achievable without using drugs, akin to a leisurely movement in the thick of the water.
It appeared the victory would come even easier than anticipated. Not that I let Kei Li reach his maximum; he could have offered some resistance in a genuine battle. But in the format of a duel, the third-strongest fighter of the squad did not have a shadow of a chance in the declared ten, and even in ten thousand fights.
“Bam!” As the fortified wooden sword and body met, a shockwave rippled through the air.
Unlike the equipment we had borrowed from the caravan guards, which would crumble from even a moderately strong blow, the weapons made from predatory monster trees wouldn't readily break, so I didn't have to hold back much and struck with the force of a small cannonball.
"Tsk! I knew it was a ruse," he grumbled, rubbing his chest, keeping his Wakizashi raised in the left hand, which we'd borrowed from the caravan guards. "Fine, now you attack."
“Bam, bam!” This time, I delivered a series of strikes to his right leg and then his back.
"Hey! What the hell, you're so fast?! Cheating?" Kei stared into my eyes, trying to determine if I was taking a combat stimulant.
"I got lucky, and I've made some progress recently," I replied, and Kei cursed under his breath about global injustice and monsters disguising themselves as innocent girls upon hearing my response. "Are you giving up?"
"Not a chance!" With a stomp, he sent a cloud of dirt and stone shrapnel in my direction, then charged.
“Bam!”
“Bam!”
“Bam-bam!!!”
…
- Ahem. By the way, it hurts, Kurome-chan! - grumbled the brunette, who after sparring began to limp noticeably and hunch over. "You could have been more gentle with a teammate."
"Like Instructor John used to say, 'Pain is the best teacher,'" I grinned. "Besides, you basically asked... I mean, agreed to it."
I knew he was mostly putting on an act. My strikes were strong but precise, so Kei retained almost full combat capability, and as for pain, well, we were all used to it. Although, looking back at my past life's experiences, I would've been bedridden for at least a week with these bruises.
"Only, don't tell me you proposed a bet just to beat me up," Kei protested, removing the forearm and thigh guards.
"Okay," I replied, doing the same. "I won't."
"Ah, come on!" he shook his head despondently. "Kurome-chan, Kurome-chan, can you be so cruel to your own comrades? We are, after all, on the same side, if you haven't forgotten!"
"Would you prefer if someone of equal strength from the rebels was in my place? Or do you truly believe I provoked you just to beat you up?"
"Hey, calm down, friend!" he raised his palms. "I may be incomparably clever and perceptive, but I haven't learned how to read minds yet. If you have something to say, say it directly."
"Directly, you say?" I squinted. "Good. Every member of the Elite Seven was no weaker than I am now. And where are they today? They dropped out," I looked into the eyes of an intelligent and insightful person who was beginning to understand the situation. "So, tell me, who will our beloved command send to hell instead of them? Who have they already sent to the side of the rebels without any cover? Hmm?" Tilting my head to the right, I carefully looked at the "wise and insightful". "And someone who thinks they're too smart is trying to stir up the mess in these wonderful circumstances. Do you think we turned a blind eye to your antics out of stupidity? We were hoping you'd come to your senses. If there was no immediate danger around the capital, except for a Night Raid, and we could afford far from perfect coordination, everything would be completely different behind the Wall. In the South, anyone can be waiting for us, from powerful assassins or southern avengers to special forces fighters of the Revolutionary Army. If the worst happens, maybe Natal and I can break through. But what about you? What about Akira?"
Kei's silence spoke volumes, indicating he had understood the situation.
It was a good idea to demonstrate the power gap and the level of potential opponents clearly. Plus, knocking some sense into him, showing him who was in charge. Whatever it was, the spiritual force pressed on the minds of the gifted, forcing them to consider the words of other people through the prism of their superiority or weakness. If the joker had not passed the session of therapeutic cuffs, he might have reacted as usual — mocking and listening, but not hearing. But now the effect was obvious.
Judging by his somber expression, Kei understood that his claims to leadership not only looked unattractive but also outright subversive, especially to himself.
"Alright, commander! Understood, acknowledged, realized, was a fool, will correct my ways!" The brunette put on his usual facade, grimacing like a dim-witted private and thumping his chest with a fist.
"Then it would be more correct to call me deputy commander or vice-commander," I grinned, "but I would prefer to be called by my first name."
"Yes, Commander! Got it, Commander!!" he bellowed, his eyes bulging.
"You know, Kei, why don't we have another dozen sparring sessions? For reinforcement, hehe, of the material?"
"Hey, hey, Kurome-chan, that's it, I'll be quiet now, no need to be mad! We're an elite special unit, not stupid army boots with their stick discipline! I'm not even allowed to joke anymore? There's not a single whole bone left in me," he grumbled, pretending to support his side and dragging his leg. "Better go and kill someone in the slums. There is no need to take out your frustration on your loyal comrades."
Now that Kei had lost the bet and was bound to obey me and Natal's instructions without his usual antics for a month, the problems seemed a bit smaller. For all his faults, the word of a joker held strong. Of course, it wouldn't stop the questionable jokes and teasing, but only the grave could fix the "hunchback."
We headed back to the others. It was essential to hurry before the trio of ravenous spirit warriors devoured our share.