[South-West some Km away from Night Raid's base]

Tatsumi panted heavily as he trudged along the mountainous terrain, his legs aching from the continuous hours of travel. "How much farther until we reach the fishing spot? My legs are killing me, and I'm sweating buckets," he exclaimed, glancing ahead at Akame and Bane, who seemed unfazed by the climb.

They had been trekking through the rugged mountain ranges for hours, facing steep inclines and dense vegetation. Tatsumi struggled to navigate the bush-covered path, carrying a large basket on his back alongside his companions.

In contrast to Tatsumi's struggle, Akame and Bane moved with ease, showing no signs of exertion. Their calm demeanour amidst the challenging hike puzzled Tatsumi, prompting him to voice his question. "How are you both managing this so effortlessly? I feel like I'm melting here," he remarked, wiping sweat from his brow.

"It's normal for me," Akame replied succinctly as she skillfully cut through a dense bush.

Tatsumi turned to Bane with curiosity, "And you, with that long coat and mask covering your face? Doesn't it bother you?"

Bane explained, "My mutation prevents me from sweating, and my natural regeneration keeps me going as long as I've eaten well." He continued walking without any signs of discomfort.

Despite feeling envious of Bane's abilities, Tatsumi remembered the hardships that Bane had to suffer that led to those mutations, restraining his envy.

"We're here," Akame announced calmly, setting down her basket. Bane and Tatsumi followed suit, taking in the view before them.

A serene lake was in front of them, which was glistening under the sunlight, while a constant waterfall was cascading down into the lake, creating a soothing melody as water rippled gently.

The lake's pristine water was hosting a variety of life, with small and large fishes which were gracefully swimming beneath the surface, which was visible for them as they could through the crystal-clear water.

The lake was surrounded with lush green bushes, vibrant flowers in an array of colours, and clusters of medicinal herbs which was adding a fragrant aroma to the air, while at the bank of the lake was adorned with pebbles of shiny colours, reflecting the sunlight.

"Absolutely stunning. Such scenery is rare near my village, where winter prevails throughout the year," Tatsumi remarked with awe as he took in the beauty before him.

"We must hunt the underwater prey," Akame stated, beginning to remove her skirt in preparation.

Bane simply nodded in response. "Understood," he said as he took off his long coat, though he kept his pants and half-sleeved t-shirt on for obvious reasons.

Tatsumi, with a flushed face, exclaimed, "Wha- What are you doing? You can't be naked in front of us!" He was flustered by Akame's sudden actions. "And why easily agree with her?" Tatsumi asked Bane, shifting his gaze towards him, but he was again baffled to see him in his T-shirt and pants, 'Is he going to dive in the lake with his clothes?'he thought to himself.

But halted his thoughts as his gaze again moved towards Akame, who had removed her clothes.

After Akame had taken off her as she stood out elegantly near the lake, her long black hair cascading down in glossy waves that contrasted with her fair skin.

"Ahh, so you were wearing a bikini!" Tatsumi exclaimed after he saw Akame in her bikini, 'And here I thought that this psychopathic girl was going to be naked in front of us' He thought internally.

Akame was currently wearing a plain white bikini, whose bottom part was adorned with frilly details, while her body proportions were well-balanced, accentuating her curves in a flattering manner.

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Akame's deep red eyes were currently watching the lake, adding a captivating intensity to her gaze. Despite her alluring appearance, her face was carrying an aloof expression. "These clothes provide me with more mobility underwater." Akame said while pointing at her bikini.

"Can I examine your physique?" Bane suddenly asked Akame as he approached her, to which she nodded.

'How can you casually ask a girl to let you touch her body?' Tatsumi internally screamed at Bane, he knew Bane was also a new Night Raid member like him, so how can Bane casually chat with this crazy girl who almost had killed him.

But Tatsumi didn't knew that Bane's sudden curiosity about Akame's physique arose because he had witnessed her save Tatsumi in the forest. Tatsumi had faltered in killing his opponent, leading Bane to believe the boy was in grave danger.

However, Akame's sudden appearance and swift defeat of the infiltrator in mid-air showcased her mastery as an assassin. Seeing her skill, Bane recognized he was outmatched and wanted to understand how her physique enabled her to perform such feats.

As Bane touched her, he said, "Indeed, despite your appearance, your body possesses all the aspects perfectly suited for combat. It is perfectly toned and fit, reflecting your rigorous training and discipline in maintaining your body,"

He paused to touch her slim arms with his delicate fingers. "Your physique is devoid of excess fat, showcasing your well-defined muscles that enhance your agility and combat prowess."

In Akame's slim build, Bane could also discern hints of her abdominal muscles visible through his eyes, indicating her physical strength and endurance.

'It's as if her body is specially sculpted for maximum efficiency, with sufficient flexibility and strength, perfectly suitable for assassination,' Bane thought with astonishment. 'This girl is becoming increasingly mysterious to me. Her combat skills, physique, appetite—every aspect seems finely tuned for combat. Is it due to her genetics? Perhaps she descends from a lineage of warriors.'

'Despite my regenerative stamina, I lack endurance and muscle mass due to my mutation,' he lamented, touching his pale, delicate arms that resembled those of a teenage girl.

While Bane compensated for his lack of physical power with his sharp gauntlets, it wasn't sufficient when facing formidable foes. Although his body could generate immense strength in dire situations, he couldn't rely solely on such unpredictability, risking his life if it failed to activate when needed.

Despite Bane's efforts to train and hone his body, it remained limited due to his mutation. He couldn't achieve a combat-ready physique like Akame's, despite rigorous training. His body's response didn't align with his senses, hindering his agility.

Bane admitted that his regenerative powers saved him countless times on the revolutionary army's missions.

However, now his body's limitations prevented him from advancing in combat skills. While stronger than average soldiers and assassins, he recognized his inferiority compared to the Night Raid members surrounding him.

Akame noticed Bane standing still, lost in deep thought. Despite Bane observing her physique, Akame didn't sense any hint of lust from his actions, indicating his curiosity was purely about her physical aspects for combat.

'His demeanour reminds me of Merraid,' Akame mused, but she pushed aside those thoughts as her attention shifted to the lake. "Our targets are the underwater tuna fishes; they come here in bulk because this lake is connected to the river," she explained before diving into the lake.

"You mean we have to hunt these extremely rare large tuna fish, which are almost impossible to catch without any fishing equipment?" Tatsumi said with a baffled expression. "Hey Bane, isn't she insane?" He turned his head towards where Bane was supposed to be, but found no one beside him.

As Tatsumi turned his head towards the lake, he saw Bane diving into the water, which left him speechless. 'No, both of them are insane, I should have understood it by now.' He shook his head.

Just as he was processing this, the lake waters rippled, and fishes started to emerge in bunches, landing perfectly in Akame's basket.

"Puwahh!," Akame exhaled as she emerged from the lake, her long black hair wet and rippling in the breeze. "Erase your presence within the lake and swiftly hunt your prey; it will sharpen your stealth skills crucial for assassination." Akame paused for a moment, then added, "Are you ready to give it your all?"

As Akame posed the question, ripples sounded from the lake again. A large tuna, accompanied by several smaller ones, emerged one by one. Some landed gracefully in Bane's basket, while others wriggled somewhere near it, indicating that Bane lacked Akame's precision in aiming.

But unlike Akame, Bane didn't surface from the water. Instead, he continued to throw fishes out of the lake, steadily filling his basket.

'Doesn't he need to breathe?' Both Akame and Bane had similar thoughts, but considering Bane's mutations, they concluded that it was related to one of his body's unique traits.

After witnessing the scene, Tatsumi took a deep breath and shouted, "Challenge accepted! I'll out-hunt both of you!" He then leaped into the lake like a cannonball.

SPLASH