AKAME ASSASSINATION (70)
"Let's have a talk about Amanai, the past, and the future."
Junichi's voice cut through the warm, timeless space of their shared resonance. The words hung in the air like smoke—slow to disperse, heavy with implication.
Akame's expression didn't shift, but something behind his eyes tightened almost imperceptibly. "What about the past do you want to talk about? Honestly, I'm not in the mood for reminiscing."
"I know." Junichi waved a massive hand dismissively. "But this isn't really about that."
He leaned forward, the small table creaking protest under his weight. The lamplight caught the scars on his bare chest, turning each line into a shadowed canyon.
"The Vatican's issued multiple policies since your 'disappearance' decades ago." He made air quotes with his fingers, the gesture absurd on a man his size. "Policies I honestly don't care about, since the Land of the East Sun's government is completely different from the mainland's."
"Well, we do have a relatively closed chain of command," Akame acknowledged. "Operates on its own basis. Even after losing multiple battles in the war with the Vatican, we fended off most of their influence from Endo and Osaka." A pause. "Though that wasn't us. Different generation of the Five Swords."
Junichi took another long pull from his glass, the liquor disappearing in one burning swallow. "Look, I ain't one to go deep into governmental shit. Honestly? I'd rather sleep and shit all day than think about politics." He set the glass down with a thunk. "But once, on a mission west of the main continent, a nasty rumor hit my ear."
"?"
"Fragmentation was occurring pretty often in that region. Fragment voids kept appearing—even though it was a residential area. No sorcerers except for the local saints in the cathedrals." Junichi's eyes narrowed. "When I took the job, I figured it was another boring mission. Planned to find a liquor store first—I hear they've got sweet and salty liquor in that region. Good thing I did, because while I was asking around, I heard about people disappearing from the city."
"!"
Akame's attention sharpened. The shift was subtle—a stillness that wasn't quite stillness, a focus that bordered on predatory.
"Let me guess," he said slowly. "The cathedral was turning kidnapped people into fragment voids."
Junichi's face fell. "Jeez, man. Way to take the fun out of the story." He sighed theatrically. "I was building suspense. Setting up the big reveal. And you just—" He made a deflating gesture. "Also, how did you know that?"
"Similar case occurred in the plains near the Maasai and Pokot borders." Akame's voice was quiet, but there was weight behind it. Koji's report. The villagers. The pattern he hadn't yet connected.
"Crazy coincidence." Junichi held the bottle inches from his lips, contemplating. "Though if it's the indigenous people of Loliwe, it's probably just because they're isolated. Easy to manipulate."
"I thought the same," Akame admitted. "Assumed it was a way to start conflict between the tribes. Steal their land. Indoctrinate them." His eyes met Junichi's across the table. "But with this new information... it could be something completely different."
Junichi took a gulp. "I think it's connected to that new bill of rights they passed a few years ago."
"How do you mean?"
"The Pope declared that any violation of already-implemented laws in their protectorates is a sign of war. Gives the Vatican the right to seize land and occupy that country." Junichi's brow furrowed. "Something like that."
"Former protectorates," Akame corrected quietly. "Lands they've already colonized."
'Wait.' His mind began racing, connecting threads that had seemed separate. 'We need to think about this rationally.'
Blake had said someone activated the bounty on his head. Koji had assassinated the Prime Minister—which put Loliwe at a political disadvantage. As a Vatican protectorate, that meant the Pope would send oversight. But they couldn't outright take over; law dictated a new prime minister would be elected.
'But with Junichi's information...'
Akame snapped his fingers.
The sound was sharp, percussive—and Junichi, mid-swallow, jerked in surprise. Liquor went down the wrong pipe.
"What?!" he coughed, pounding his chest.
"They plan to use me." Akame's voice was cold now, the pieces falling into place. "They'll use my presence in this country as an excuse to send more troops. More assassins. Overthrow the government completely. Seize the land."
Junichi wiped his mouth, frowning. "Are they allowed to do that?"
"No. Not normally." Akame shook his head. "But with that rule... Loliwe is a former Vatican protectorate. If anything contradicting were found on its soil—"
"They'd have justification." Junichi finished the sentence. His expression darkened. "Also, that's a dumb rule. Why wasn't it flagged?"
"I'm not deep enough into politics to tell you. There must be mechanisms to prevent exactly this." Akame's jaw tightened. "Either way, they probably mean to use the narcotics smuggling via the Aquatic Blue—and other things—to warrant the takeover."
The timeline crystallized in his mind, each piece clicking into place with dreadful precision:
HIRE KOJI → KILL PRIME MINISTER → TEMPORARILY TAKE OVER → REVEAL AKAME'S REVIVAL → USE IT AS EXCUSE TO BRING IN ASSASSINS → CORRUPT THE SYSTEM FROM INSIDE → USE THE CORRUPT SYSTEM'S FLAWS TO DECLARE PERMANENT TAKEOVER → USE SECRET ASSASSINS AND FRAGMENT VOIDS TO DO SO.
"Something like that," Akame murmured, the theory solidifying. "Though depending on what I've missed, it could be different."
'Like Jericho and the Vatican knights,' he thought. 'How do they fit?' Probably Blake's doing—but Akame didn't know that yet. Didn't know the full breadth of the doctor's machinations.
"Either way," he concluded aloud, "the goal is the same."
Junichi stared at him for a long moment. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his scarred face.
"Thank goodness you figured that out," he said, genuine relief in his voice. "'Cause I wasn't gonna. Honestly, that's a hustle thinking about all that." He set down his empty glass. "But there's one more thing we gotta talk about. I can sense the battle's almost over, so we're gonna have to wrap this up."
He met Akame's eyes across the table, the playful glint fading into something heavier. Older.
"Let's talk about Amanai Rika."
The name hung between them like a blade.
Outside their bubble of soul-resonance, the real world continued to burn. Buildings collapsed. Shockwaves rippled. Two bodies moved at impossible speeds, rewriting physics with every strike.
But here, in this space between heartbeats, there was only the table, the lamp, and the weight of a name that still carried meaning.
Akame said nothing.
Junichi waited.
The silence stretched, filled with everything unsaid.
WHAT IS IT THAT HE WISHES TO REVEAL?
VOLUME 5 END!