Zank stretched out both hands and took Murasame away while Akame was exposed from a mistake.
A trace of joy appeared on his face, and just as he was about to speak.
A black shadow flashed past, followed by a calm voice.
"Teigu confiscated."
Hearing those words, Zank froze slightly. Wasn't that line supposed to be his?
He immediately looked toward his right hand. His palm was completely empty.
Uesugi Ryu looked at the cursed blade Murasame in his hand. An arm formed from flowing water was gripping the sword.
Compatibility with a Teigu had something to do with first impressions.
Uesugi Ryu's only impression of this cursed blade was wariness.
Holding it directly could easily result in backlash. He had no interest in experiencing that feeling.
A trace of panic flashed across Akame's face as she leaped forward, trying to take back her Teigu.
Zank had met Uesugi Ryu before. Although he was unhappy that the other man had stolen his spoils.
He still moved to block Akame's advance.
Wrapped in flowing water, Murasame instantly flew toward the horizon.
Uesugi Ryu revealed a polite and harmless smile.
"No need to be in such a hurry. I'll hold onto it for now."
"After all, an instant-kill weapon is too bugged. I can't sleep peacefully while it's in your hands."
Teigu absolutely had to be collected. Night Raid was unlikely to obediently hand them over.
Uesugi Ryu had no desire to fight Akame after she transformed into the Red-Eyed Assassin. The risk was too high and completely unnecessary.
Akame gritted her teeth. Although she had long known that cooperating with Uesugi Ryu was like seeking the skin of a tiger.
But turning hostile before victory had even arrived was far too ugly.
"So this is the cooperation you spoke of, Uesugi Ryu!"
As soon as those words were spoken, the atmosphere froze.
Mez and Suzuka, who had been chasing down Lubbock, also stopped what they were doing and looked toward Uesugi Ryu at the same time.
Uesugi Ryu had no intention of denying it.
"From the very beginning, it was never an equal partnership. Perhaps it can't even be called cooperation."
Uesugi Ryu paused and put away the smile hanging on his lips.
"You were simply working for me. Your payment was your lives."
Zank frowned. Only then did he remember that Uesugi Ryu was not supposed to be here.
"What? What? You betrayed the Empire too?"
Uesugi Ryu glanced at Zank, and in the next instant his figure vanished.
Like teleportation, he appeared directly in front of Zank.
A stinging sensation came from below his chin as the tip of a blade pressed against it.
Zank swallowed hard. There had been absolutely no warning before the man suddenly appeared before him.
The other party's strength was simply too terrifying.
Uesugi Ryu looked expressionlessly at Zank.
"The Minister is already dead."
"Let me correct you. I didn't betray the Empire."
"The Empire is now under my control. Anyone who defies my orders is the one betraying the Empire."
"I'll ask once. Have you betrayed the Empire?"
Zank raised both hands and immediately replied.
"Of course not."
The Minister was dead. Dead men had no value whatsoever.
The Four Rakshasa Demons worked for the Minister because he could provide benefits. Who they served was irrelevant.
Mez giggled with an expression of enjoying the show.
"Oh? The Minister died? What a pity."
They had been able to hear some of the Minister's pig-like screams from here earlier.
So no one found it surprising.
Suzuka turned around and stared directly at Uesugi Ryu.
A strange flame of excitement ignited in her eyes.
"You dare kill the Minister? I won't surrender!"
"I'll thoroughly tor... no, I'll avenge the Minister!"
Hearing the Minister scream so passionately.
Suzuka, the masochist, was already eager to be tortured by Uesugi Ryu.
Mez helplessly looked at the deranged Suzuka.
Uesugi Ryu paid little attention to her insanity and only said calmly.
"If you want me to torture you, forget it. I'll make sure you die without any pain at all."
Suzuka took a step back, unable to suppress the disappointment on her face.
"So you figured it out? Dying painlessly would be way too unsatisfying!"
None of the Three Rakshasa Demons showed any obvious intention of resisting. They had practically defaulted to surrendering.
While they were chatting here, Lubbock finally managed to catch a breather.
He quietly started retreating toward the outside of the palace.
At that moment, a strange sensation came from his shoulder.
"Kid, the conversation isn't over yet. Why are you in such a hurry to leave? You also forgot to collect your clothes."
Lubbock's body instantly stiffened. He mechanically turned his head to the side.
A gigantic crow with scarlet eyes was quietly staring at him.
Lubbock was completely numb.
He had clearly set up wires all around the area.
How had such a massive crow gotten next to him?
The wires could not fool the Sharingan. Mephisto and its master always shared the same habit.
They loved suddenly appearing in people's faces to scare them.
Lubbock barely squeezed out a smile.
"No, I forgot to put on my underwear. Can you let me go?"
Mephisto's eyes lit up. It was rare to encounter such an interesting human.
"Nice reason, but the answer is No!"
Lubbock's escape route was cut off. Akame, who had originally stayed behind to draw Uesugi Ryu's attention, could not help showing a confused expression.
With her Teigu taken away, although Akame's strength did not rely entirely on the cursed blade Murasame.
Without Murasame, she could forget about fighting in high-level battles. The hidden secret technique within the plan was also no longer possible.
Night Raid's final trump card had been ruined in an instant, and Akame felt deeply guilty.
At that moment, Uesugi Ryu took out the Teigu Beast King Transformation: Lionelle and a box from his storage space.
With a light toss, he threw both the Teigu and the box to Akame.
"The blonde woman's arm was cut off by Kurome. The severed arm is inside the box. You should have a way to reattach it."
Since they would all be working under him in the future, how could they create value with a missing arm?
Akame blankly caught the two items and fell silent for a moment.
Uesugi Ryu paid no attention to the reactions of Akame and Lubbock as he led the Three Rakshasa Demons toward the palace.
"Gozuki, the founder of the assassination unit, is still alive. Kurome has probably already gone to block him."
Mephisto released Lubbock and returned to the shadows.
Lubbock walked over to Akame.
Akame wasted no words. She handed the items in her hands to him and then said.
"Lubb, go find Boss and Leone. I want to see Kurome."
Kurome had always been Akame's emotional knot. Lubbock did not stop her, only giving her a worried reminder.
"Be careful. The situation might not be completely hopeless yet."
Akame nodded and then entered the palace alone.