The Teigus, also known as Imperial Arms, were created almost a thousand years ago and were considered the most potent relics ever crafted by humanity.

They were commissioned under the reign of the first emperor and were created by employing ancient sorcery and technologies that remain shrouded in mystery.

Skilled sorcerers and artisans from around the world contributed to their creation, each imbuing these creations with capabilities that far surpassed the greatest relics of this era.

These relics were crafted using ultra-rare materials like orichalcum and the high-grade materials from formidable creatures known as danger beasts.

The first emperor, who initiated this project, commanded his forces to hunt down the most formidable creatures of his time to gather materials, using their body parts as the foundation for creating these potent relics.

These relics, which were essentially weapons of mass destruction, bestowed each wielder with the capability of eradicating thousands of men alone. They were then distributed to the emperor's trusted retainers, turning them into powerhouses capable of decisively influencing the course of war. This played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Emperor's territory on a massive scale, establishing the current empire as the most powerful country in existence.

Despite historical records indicating the creation of only forty-eight Teigus, the exact count remains ambiguous due to the loss or destruction of numerous ones during a civil war that occurred five centuries ago. Almost half of them were lost or destroyed under the rule of the emperor during that era.

After learning about the history of the mysterious origins of Teigus, Bane delved deeper into Najenda's diary, where she had written about some details of these relics.

Nevertheless, the descriptions for Teigu she hadn't personally seen, or that weren't with the revolutionary forces, were imprecise. Despite this, there were still entries and diagrams detailing various Teigu available for Bane to read and explore.

Bane had learned about various Teigus known to Najenda which are held by the Imperial Army, such as General Budo's Teigu, known as Adrammelech. While its exact abilities were shrouded in deception, there were hints that its powers were somehow related to lightning.

Reflecting on this, Bane remembered the unbelievable stories Liya used to tell him about Budo summoning storms in battles. Initially dismissing them as fanciful tales, he now realised they might have been based on rumours circulating about Budo.

Furthermore, Bane discovered a distinct category of Teigu known as biological Teigus, capable of functioning like living beings and possessing intelligence akin to humans.

An example of this was Hekatonkheires, a dog-shaped Teigu, but its abilities are still a mystery due to missing information about its whereabouts.

Similarly, there was also a mention of humanoid teigu known as susanoo but it seems that Najenda had not written its information purposely as it seems that this teigu is a hidden card that is being kept hidden in the revolutionary army's base.

Bane then read and saw diagrams about Night Raid members' unique imperial arms, which were as follows:

Akame's Murasame: A lethal and poisonous cursed blade capable of killing anyone with just a single stab or scratch. However, its drawback is that it can also easily kill its user.

Bulat's Incursio: An armour-type Teigu that provides its users with the ability to easily block heavy attacks and grants them inhuman levels of physical strength and stamina. However, it places a heavy burden on the user's physical and mental aspects.

Sheele's Extase: A giant pair of scissors capable of cutting through any object. Its effectiveness on other Teigu may vary.

Lubbock's Cross Tail: Regarded as the most versatile Teigu, it consists of a pair of gloves and a coil that allows Lubbock to use lethal threads capable of cutting through anyone if handled carefully. It was extracted from the fur of a super-class danger beast, providing Lubbock with infinite ways to utilise it.

Leone's Lionel: Taking the form of a belt, this Teigu grants its users the ability to transform into a beast form, providing them with abilities similar to a special-class danger beast.

Mine's Pumpkin: A rifle-type Teigu which was previously wielded by Najenda. Pumpkin uses its user's willpower as fuel for firing energy shots at the enemies. Its power depends on the user's situation, providing more firepower when the user is in greater danger.

As Bane sat in his chair, meticulously transcribing notes from Najenda's diary into his own notebook, he found himself pondering the lethal capabilities of each Teigu. Each entry provided a deeper insight into the sheer power wielded by the exceptional users of these artifacts.

He had on comfortable attire and his room mirrored his minimalistic nature, with papers, pens, and stationery items scattered about. Bane preferred a simple setup, so there were only essential pieces of furniture adorning his room.

'Each one of these relics could kill me in a second if used properly,' he mused internally. 'But that's a moot point, considering the exceptional combat prowess and assassination skills of their wielders, who operate on a different level altogether.'

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Despite his usual humility, Bane couldn't ignore the fact that Akame's Murasame posed the greatest threat to him. 'Even with my poison resistance, I doubt it would offer any defence against that cursed blade fueled by some ancient demonic curse of unknown origins,' he thought.

'My regenerative abilities are also no good as they would likely be futile against Murasame. Just a mere scratch could end my life instantly.'

During this week, he had confronted the harsh reality that, despite his own strengths, he was merely a minnow compared to the true powerhouses of the Night Raid.

Because of this very reason, he was determined to uncover any potential trump cards hidden within his Jörmungandr. Throughout the entire week, he tirelessly searched for ways to unlock its full potential, if such a trump card even existed.

After the meeting concluded a week prior and the Night Raid members had dispersed, he took the opportunity to inform Najenda about Tatsumi's report regarding the defeat of Ogre. He had deliberately decided not to tell Najenda about his own actions.

Additionally, he had even shared Tatsumi's weaknesses and areas for improvement. And true to her word, Najenda provided him with a diary containing additional details and insights.

During this entire week, Bane had scarcely left his room except for essential reasons. Upon reading the diary, he had gained a vague understanding of trump cards related to Teigu.

However, he noticed that Najenda had deliberately omitted details about the Night Raid members' Teigus trump cards in her diary, indicating her cautious approach toward.

It was clear to him that despite being accepted into the team, Najenda harboured reservations due to his differing motivations compared to the rest of the Night Raid members under her command.

Despite knowing this, he harboured no resentment toward her, as he recognized that she was still testing his loyalty, especially given his relatively recent inclusion in the team.

He recognized the need for caution and the challenge of earning trust, especially when it came to sensitive information like Teigu trump cards that could be crucial in life-threatening situations.

"What might be the key to unlocking Teigu's trump card? Is there a specific criterion, or are only specialised Teigus capable of having a trump card of their own?" Bane asked aloud, curious about the intricacies of Teigu's abilities and their hidden potentials.

"....."

"Yes, I am asking you." Bane repeated his question, turning his chair to face a tall, slender yet curvaceous young woman with long purple hair and matching purple eyes.

Sheele stood at his doorstep, wearing a straight, light purple silk dress with a high neck and a slit skirt. Her rectangular glasses partially hid her purple eyes, as usual.

".....How did you know that I was the one who came here?" Sheele, puzzled, questioned.

"..."

"Because I was expecting your arrival from yesterday, but judging from your expression, it seems you may have forgotten about that," Bane clarified. His expression was hidden behind his mask, and his tone remained deadpan, though Sheele couldn't perceive it.

!

Sheele was flustered as she bowed her head and said,"...Sorry, I forgot," she admitted her mistake. She had indeed forgotten about their conversation from two days ago, where Bane had asked her to meet him yesterday.

She had simply entered Bane's room to check on him because Najenda had asked her to do so as he barely came out of his room. Because Mine and Tatsumi were away at the capital market, probably shopping, and there were no chores for her, she agreed with Najenda's request.

"I sincerely apologise for my mistake." Sheele bowed her head again.

"There is no need for any apology," Bane shook his head, signalling that he harboured no ill feelings towards her. She hadn't committed any serious error, and he was the one seeking assistance, not her.

Seeing Sheele still standing near the door, Bane gestured, "You can sit on the bed as there are no other chairs in this room and also be careful as you can slip on the stationary items in your way." Sheele nodded as she walked carefully and settled on the bed, while Bane still remained seated on his chair.

"I don't have any beverages, but if you want, I can provide you water," Bane offered.

"There's no need, as I just drank mango juice a while ago," Sheele declined politely, to which Bane nodded in understanding.

Taking a deep breath, Bane continued, "I have two favours to ask of you, and if you can help me with them, I promise to repay your favor."

Sheele hesitated for a second but then she adjusted her glasses, as she responded, "I can assist you with your requests as long as they are within my capacity. And as for payment, there's no need for that between team members." She smiled for a second.

"..." Bane was momentarily taken aback by Sheele's sudden act of kindness towards someone she had only recently met, but he nodded in acknowledgment.

"I will still repay my debt as I don't like to own favors," he said straightforwardly. "And as for my first request is related to the series of questions related to teigu which I asked you a while ago," he stated, referring to his question about trump cards to which Sheele agreed to help with this topic.

"Where should I begin explaining?" Sheele paused briefly before clearing her throat and starting, "Firstly, an important point to note is that not all Teigu possess Trump cards." She emphasised this fact with straightforward precision, to which Bane only nodded his head because he had already learned this from the diary.

"These Trump cards are hidden abilities of Teigus that vary widely among users. They can range from enhanced physical attributes like strength, speed, and agility to more specialised powers such as elemental manipulation, illusions, or stealth."

After listening quietly, Bane inquired, "Are there specific activation conditions?"

Sheele nodded as she began, "I may not know everything about conditions as they may vary depending on the type of Imperial arm, but based on observations and discussions with other Night Raid members, I can tell you a certain fact that Trump cards indeed usually require specific conditions to be met before they can be activated,"

Sheele explained after a moment of serious thought. "These conditions can include emotional triggers, intense concentration, or reaching a certain level of desperation in battles."

After listening to Sheele's explanation, Bane pondered, 'If what she is saying holds some semblance of truth, then it could easily explain why I haven't been granted access to my Teigu's trump card.'

Indeed, Bane had encountered no life-threatening battles since acquiring Jörmungandr. However, there was also the possibility that his Teigu simply didn't possess a trump card.

After contemplating for a few moments, he posed another question: "What are the risks or drawbacks of using these trump cards?" He believed that there must be downsides to wielding such potent powers, as everything typically comes at a price.

Sheele's expression turned serious as she responded, "Indeed, there are risks. While trump cards may provide immense power, they often come with drawbacks. These drawbacks can include physical strain, energy depletion, or negative effects on the user's body and mind."

She paused, issuing a warning, "Over-reliance on trump cards can be dangerous, leading to exhaustion or even death in extreme cases. So, you have to be careful all the time if you gain access to one in the future."

"....." Bane remained silent, absorbing Sheele's cautionary words.