800 kilometers northeast of the capital lies the Enda Plateau. Numerous mountain ranges spread throughout the region, transforming the ecosystem there and making the area filled with high-level monsters, rendering human habitation nearly impossible.
This was the kind of region Night Raid had moved to for a temporary hideout until they found a suitable location for a new headquarters.
The two newest members were the biological Teigu Susanoo. He was obsessed with order and highly capable at household chores, able to cook and build a house in a single day.
The other was Chelsea. She wasn't particularly remarkable, but she was distinguished by her Teigu, Gaia Foundation, which allowed her to change her form into any person or thing as she wished.
Due to the activity of the Jaegers, the crime rate in the capital had decreased. Consequently, this would reduce the number of Night Raid's missions. According to Najenda, they would not receive further supplies, making the current members the last cohort of Night Raid. Therefore, for the time being, their primary mission was training.
After a month of staying in the region,
Zhang Yong was sitting atop a rock overlooking the valley, his eyes closed, while his hand gripped his sword.
He had spent the entire month trying to reach that previous moment, that spark of enlightenment that Mine had cut off.
Every night, he would reactivate his five senses, trying to re-enter that state of immersion, but he had failed.
"One moment destroyed an enlightenment that might take a lifetime for others to reach," Zhang Yong grumbled before sighing.
'There's still something missing… the thread hasn't reappeared. Is it related to my mental state?'
When Zhang Yong focused his five senses, not a thread appeared, but a point – the breaking point.
"Your defense is open!" A voice sounded from directly behind Zhang Yong, and two figures appeared behind him. Mine and Tatsumi pounced on him, attacking simultaneously.
Tatsumi wielded his ordinary sword, while Mine's fists were charged with spiritual energy.
Zhang Yong spun around swiftly, grabbing Mine's wrist and Tatsumi's sword, then hurled them both into the air, far away.
Zhang Yong watched Tatsumi and Mine's bodies rebound in the air before landing steadily on the ground.
Tatsumi wobbled slightly but quickly regained his balance, while Mine rolled lightly before springing back into a combat stance.
"You haven't improved much," Zhang Yong said coldly, brushing dust from his shoulder.
"It's not over yet," Mine complained while rubbing her sore wrist.
Zhang Yong didn't reply, but the corner of his lips lifted slightly. He knew the two had improved significantly over the past month.
Tatsumi was now more stable in his sword usage, possessing the ability and efficiency to use the additional Incursio spear, and Mine had successfully integrated her spiritual energy with her physical attacks seamlessly, enhancing her movements further. She shouldn't have any problems in close combat now.
Zhang Yong quietly assumed a combat stance. This was a way to motivate himself. At any time, as long as they could defeat him, he would grant them any request. The purpose was to motivate himself to remain conscious even while sleeping, so as to achieve a state similar to the "Sword and Spirit" stage.
Zhang Yong stood as firm as a mountain, while Tatsumi and Mine charged towards him again. This time, their attack was better coordinated.
The two headed to the sides, running towards Zhang Yong.
Zhang Yong didn't need to do anything. Immediately, an incredibly deep killing intent emanated from his spirit, directed at the two. His bloodthirst was unbearable.
The killing intent burst from Zhang Yong like a shockwave, forcing Tatsumi and Mine to stop abruptly mid-charge.
They felt as if an invisible sword had been placed on their necks, threatening instant death if they took another step.
"W-What is this?!" Tatsumi stepped back two paces, his eyes wide with terror.
Mine stood rooted to the spot, her eyes widening.
Then, Zhang Yong quietly withdrew his killing intent, and the surrounding atmosphere returned to normal. Judging by the look on their faces, the killing intent hadn't affected them too much, which was a good sign.
Zhang Yong smiled calmly. "Shall we return to the headquarters now?"
"Tsk, don't smile as if you did nothing!" Mine clicked her tongue, crossing her arms with a hint of annoyance.
Tatsumi scratched his face lightly. "Although I don't want to admit it, Mine is right. Your bloodthirst was excessive."
"Pfft," Zhang Yong laughed lightly. "If this level can affect you, then forget about the Jaegers. You most likely won't stand a chance against Esdeath."
Tatsumi hated to admit it, but Zhang Yong was right. After witnessing the power of the Jaegers, at his current level, he couldn't get close to her, let alone confront her.
Zhang Yong shrugged as he turned away, but his eyes gleamed with a mischievous idea. "But don't worry, I'll make sure you all die with dignity when the time comes."
"What?!" Tatsumi shouted, his face paling.
Mine punched Zhang Yong's shoulder. "Stop trying to scare us, you bastard."
"Anyway, Tatsumi, I heard you recently tried to prank Chelsea by getting in while she was naked and bathing but failed miserably," Zhang Yong looked sternly at Tatsumi.
"Ah, that…" Tatsumi looked away. "I didn't think you'd help us, so we didn't tell you—"
Nevertheless, Zhang Yong's fist landed on his head. 'This idiot, what was the rating of this story again? Never mind.'
Tatsumi held his head in pain. "What was that for, why did you hit me?"
Zhang Yong sighed. "I didn't hit you because you did it, but because you didn't succeed. For your next mission, try sneaking around me with Incursio. As long as you master that, it's enough. But conversely, if you fail..." A sinister smile appeared on Zhang Yong's face. "Let's just say you'll wish you were facing a danger beast instead of me."
"Wh-..." A helpless expression appeared on Tatsumi's face. Zhang Yong was joking, right?
Mine laughed from behind. "Hehe, you deserve this."
"You!" Tatsumi stomped his foot on the ground, pointing his finger at her. "You were the one who originally encouraged us to do it!"
"Oh, too bad you failed at your task," Mine laughed heartily. "It's your fault you got caught."
Zhang Yong sighed inwardly as he started walking away. 'When will these two start dating? I'm tired of their constant bickering.'
Zhang Yong continued walking away, while Tatsumi and Mine argued behind him.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of rapid footsteps approaching from behind.
"Zhang Yong! Tatsumi! Mine!"
The three turned to find Akame running towards them. "There's an emergency. New dangerous monsters have appeared near the capital! The boss is calling a meeting. It's finally time to return to the capital."
---
After hours of travel aboard the flying Mantra, they arrived at Night Raid's new headquarters, located 15 kilometers southwest of the capital. The building was similar to the old hideout.
Inside, the members of Night Raid gathered. Najenda sat on her chair in the center, her expression serious.
"Now that we're back, our target is human-like danger beasts. They appear primitive but have shown some intelligence. Even martial arts experts were sent to test their abilities, but they lost. They hide in the mines and northern forests, preying on any living creatures they see. The Imperial Guards and Jaegers kill them daily, but the numbers don't seem to be decreasing."
Mine held her chin, thinking. "If the Empire is struggling, this doesn't seem trivial."
Zhang Yong quietly crossed his arms. "Based on what's been mentioned, I can guess that this type of monster belongs to Doctor Stylish. Since we defeated him, it seems someone released them."
Zhang Yong hadn't saved Doctor Stylish that day because he no longer held any use for him. He had already obtained everything he needed from him.
Lubbock cast a calm glance towards Zhang Yong, then asked, "If so, why?"
"Well, think about it," said Zhang Yong, stepping forward. "If someone wanted to distract the Empire and the Jaegers, what better way than to flood the capital with endless monsters? While everyone is busy fighting them, any scheme could be carried out in secret. But I suspect it's against the Empire."
Chelsea looked at Zhang Yong with a sarcastic smile. "Reasonable analysis. Seems you actually have a head on your shoulders." She took out her lollipop for a moment. "Rather, there might be a third party. That doctor was from the Empire, which makes the possibility of this originating internally weak. So, the most likely scenario is that this is the planning of that madman who appeared in recent months. Although the matter was closed with the execution of the former Prime Minister, I suspect he really is connected to it. And because he hasn't appeared recently, it proves that old man is truly complicit with him."
Zhang Yong couldn't help but laugh inwardly. Of course, he wouldn't appear in the palace; he was already there with them. But for now, what Zhang Yong wanted was for Tatsumi not to go to the mountains. As long as he didn't meet Esdeath and especially Sura, that would be enough.
What was even funnier to him was that the whole 'everything is for a larger scheme' narrative was just nonsense. These monsters were nothing more than toys for Sura. But with Arthur's intervention, he feared things might become more complicated.
"Even if that's the case, we are assassins, but we are also allies of the people. Our duty is to protect them. As long as we speed up their eradication, it's fine," said Tatsumi, a spark of determination in his eyes.
"Alright, if it's about protecting people, then no argument here," said Chelsea, shrugging nonchalantly while sucking her lollipop, but her eyes held a hint of concern. "But let's not forget that these monsters might just be bait. If there is a third party pulling the strings, we need to be prepared for anything."
Najenda nodded in agreement. "Chelsea is right. So, Akame, Leone, Susanoo, and I will head to the mines, while the rest will go to the northern forests."
After dividing the tasks, the two groups moved in different directions.
Zhang Yong ended up with Tatsumi while the others headed off in other directions.
Zhang Yong wanted to cancel this event entirely, but it seemed the protagonist's aura effect was strong enough to influence everyone.
As Zhang Yong and Tatsumi advanced through the dense forest, the atmosphere was quiet. Leaves rustled in a light breeze, carrying the scent of decay.
"The area seems completely polluted," Zhang Yong observed in a calm voice, his eyes scanning the horizon warily."Yeah, they probably passed through here , unnatural scent is in the air"
Tatsumi gripped his sword tightly, his eyes darting between the trees. "Hah, I can't smell anything. You definitely have some special sense of smell."
Zhang Yong smirked mischievously. "Or maybe I just have a good nose."
Tatsumi didn't comment but rolled his eyes as he continued walking. "Come to think of it, you and Mine seem kind of close?" He then gave a sarcastic smile. "Don't tell me you two..."
"No, it's not like that. We're just training partners," Zhang Yong said with a disapproving expression.
"Oh, really?" Tatsumi laughed, shaking his head. "Because she seems to give you strange looks sometimes."
Zhang Yong didn't reply, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly downwards. "Focus on the mission, Tatsumi. This isn't a chat session."
Tatsumi sighed and continued walking. "Alright, alright. But I'll say this later, hehe , it will be a nice card to tease her"
Zhang Yong looked at Tatsumi's retreating back and clicked his tongue. 'Talking like that about the girl who's going to be his wife… Never mind, I'm tired of interfering like this.'
Zhang Yong didn't finish his thought, as he suddenly heard the sound of breaking branches from within the dense thicket. He stopped abruptly and raised his hand to signal Tatsumi to stop.
"What is it?" Tatsumi whispered, gripping his sword to activate Incursio at any moment.
Instead of replying, Zhang Yong pointed his finger in the direction of the sound. As the two watched, a group of humanoid monsters emerged from among the trees. Their skin was distorted, their breathing heavy.
Tatsumi tightened his grip on his sword. "There are a lot of them... maybe twenty or more."
Zhang Yong smiled, and his golden sword energy covered his sword "You'd better keep up with me!"
Before Tatsumi could respond, Zhang Yong shot forward like lightning, using Dark Dragon Rush, leaving a trail of black mist behind him.
Heaven-smashing Sword – Starfall – Twilight Gleam
Zhang Yong descended among the monsters like a meteor, his sword radiating blazing golden light. Each strike unleashed a wave of energy that cut the monsters in half, black blood spraying into the air.
The other monsters roared in anger and charged at him.
Tatsumi, watching the attack from behind, couldn't help but open his mouth in astonishment. "Amazing..." Then he shook his head and hurried to catch up, summoning his Incursio armor and drawing his spear.
The monsters weren't slow. Some leaped at Zhang Yong with sharp claws, but he evaded the attacks easily. His movements were precise and deadly.
As Zhang Yong carved a bloody path, he noticed that some of the monsters suddenly began to retreat.
"Zhang Yong! Something's wrong!" Tatsumi shouted as he stabbed a monster in the chest. "They're retreating!"
"Don't let them escape!" Zhang Yong replied sharply, then unleashed a wave of sword energy that cut down trees in its path, trapping the fleeing monsters.
Heaven-smashing Sword – Twilight Gleam
Zhang Yong dashed forward and finished off the monsters swiftly, leaving a golden trail behind him.
"Mission complete," Zhang Yong quietly returned his sword to its sheath.
After a few moments of silence, Tatsumi looked around, panting slightly. "That... was easier than I expected."
Zhang Yong shook his head calmly. "Agreed. But it doesn't matter. Today's mission is over. Let's scout the area before we return."
After confirming there were no other monsters in the area, Zhang Yong and Tatsumi decided to head back to headquarters.
A few days later, the trail of the monsters seemed to have vanished completely. Thus, the citizens' security returned, and Zhang Yong managed to avoid the kidnap event.