In the akame ga kill volume, The Throne will add a large amount of original content, partly out of interest, and partly to supplement aspects that the original work overlooked due to its excessive focus on assassins. The Throne's akame ga kill adaptation aims to shatter the original canon's standards and will definitely be very different from other akame ga kill fanfictions. Please look forward to it o(*≧▽≦)ツ~jiji
Imperial Calendar, 998th Year, Winter.
The Empire, as the most massive nation on this continent, has flourished and endured for nearly a thousand years. As a behemoth occupying the world's most fertile lands, The Empire naturally became the target of surrounding barbarians.
The harsh environment, backward culture, lack of resources, poverty, famine, natural disasters, and man-made calamities made these wolf-like tribes constantly eager to tear a piece of fat meat from The Empire to fill their stomachs.
Therefore, to resist foreign enemies, countless soldiers and officers of The Empire sacrifice themselves for the nation every year, dying on the battlefield, whether in the Northern Border Snowfield, the Southern Ridge Forest Sea, or against pirates on the East Sea. Although The Empire is strong, it is not without worries.
As the saying goes: a thousand soldiers are easy to find, but a single general is hard to come by. Given The Empire's vast territory and massive population base, the annual attrition of soldiers does not exceed the birth rate. However, soldiers require commanders to lead them, and talent capable of both charging into battle and maintaining command is not easily acquired. The Imperial Military Academy exists for this very reason.
There are two ways to enroll in the Imperial Military Academy: one is officer recommendation, where soldiers who perform outstandingly and achieve distinguished merits on the battlefield enter upon the recommendation of an admiring general; the other is through the annual Life-and-Death Arena organized by The Empire, where winners of the one-in-a-hundred life-and-death duels gain admission qualification.
The curriculum at the Imperial Military Academy lasts three years—no sooner, no later. Everyone who completes the three-year term must face a comprehensive assessment as a commander. The final score determines their placement and position in the military after graduation, ranging from General down to a rank-and-file soldier.
The Bu Family holds immense influence in The Empire's military. This family can be traced back a thousand years; their ancestor was the foremost meritorious martial general who helped the First Emperor conquer this land. For a thousand years, the position of Great General, the highest military officer in The Empire, has been hereditary within the Bu Clan. They adhere to their ancestral teachings, managing only the military and staying out of court politics, faithfully guarding the safety of The Empire throughout the millennia.
The Imperial Military Academy was also founded by the first ancestor of the Bu Family when The Empire was established. This is a mandatory path for every military officer in The Empire, and the heir of the Bu Family is no exception. Historically, being placed in the same cohort as a Bu Family heir was a tragedy, because the first place was destined, without contest, to belong to a member of the Bu Family.
The top student of every cohort can directly obtain the rank of Brigadier General upon graduation, and the next step is a true General! The second-place student, however, can only become a Major. The gap between the two is undoubtedly like the difference between heaven and earth, a chasm that would require years of arduous struggle and military achievements to bridge.
As the head martial officer, the Great General is responsible for guarding the Imperial Capital Palace in addition to managing the Military Department. Therefore, the Great General's Residence is located within a side hall of the Imperial Palace. At this moment, the current Great General of The Empire, Black, sat at his study desk, frowning deeply as he reviewed a folder of archived documents.
This was not a distress call bearing bad news about border dangers; it was just an ordinary personal file. Yet, the person documented within caused him both joy and a tremendous headache.
Just then, a clear, short knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
A young man with neat, golden crew-cut hair pushed the door open after receiving permission. He gave the impression of being perfectly upright and serious, facing everything with earnestness. His tall, straight physique, exceeding two meters, was as robust as a bull.
"Father, you asked for me."
"Mhm."
The Great General, whose physique was even more exaggerated than his son's, nodded slightly. The father and son gave off the same overall impression, except that Great General Black, being in the prime of his life, appeared much more mature and composed.
"Budo, you should be aware of the current situation."
Great General Black looked at his son with a stern, impassive face.
"You are very likely to become the first descendant of the Bu Family to graduate second place from the Imperial Military Academy since its founding."
The young Budo lowered his proud head in shame at his father's serious statement, offering no defense. Seeing his son feel such open and honest remorse, Great General Black did not scold him further but continued in a comforting tone:
"I know this isn't your fault. Your score on the final assessment at the Imperial Military Academy was even higher than mine back then. You are outstanding, a top talent even among the family's successive heirs, and I am proud of you. It's just that you have encountered a stronger competitor."
Great General Black placed the pages of the file he held onto the desk, spreading the documents recorded on them out under the light with a single hand.
"Tohsaka Rin, female, 16 years old. From the Balutes Tribe, a minority group on The Empire's northern border. Won the admission qualification from the Life-and-Death Arena in the winter one year ago. Having just completed one year of the curriculum, she requested to participate in the graduation assessment this year."
Great General Black calmly read the first page of the file, then looked toward the next page.
"After that, he completed all 37 examination subjects with perfect scores, even achieving a perfect score in tactical planning, which should have been impossible to get full marks in, leaving the examiners with no flaws to pick at and forcing them to award a perfect score."
The Imperial Military Academy's examinations are comprehensive assessments centered around the military, covering over 30 subjects including: march command, military orders and law, map drawing, intelligence gathering, logistical supply... and all other aspects related to the military. From the examination results, one can discern a graduate's proficiency and areas of expertise, which also influences their assignment to military departments.
But a perfect score in everything… "You should also understand that to preserve the dignity of the Bu Family from any damage, your only chance to redeem yourself is the martial arts examination duel tomorrow morning. As the most important of the 38 total assessments, the martial arts examination holds the highest weight. This is your only opportunity."
"I understand, Father! I will definitely not lose to that woman from the desolate borderlands!"
Budo's voice contained a clear sense of superiority, but Black quietly shook his head, his gaze fixed on the documents on the table.
"The Balutes Tribe is a minority ethnic group living in the great snowy mountains on the far northern border of the Empire. Their population is extremely small, less than a thousand people, but their customs are exceptionally fierce. They have lived for generations by hunting Danger Beasts in the snowy mountain wilderness and are extremely xenophobic, disdaining to associate with people outside the snowy mountains. They only interact with outsiders when trading Danger Beasts, and they have an extreme reverence for individuals strong in martial arts. The tribal chief must be the strongest in the tribe; once defeated, they are immediately replaced."
"Hmph, truly an ignorant, uncivilized barbarian tribe."
Budo snorted disdainfully, but Black did not take it to heart.
"If you were describing the Balutes Tribe in general, I might agree with your point, but Tohsaka Rin is clearly not. I once doubted her identity, but during the background check for admission, her origins were unexpectedly easy to trace—an anomaly within the entire Balutes Tribe."
Black picked up one of the files.
"Her parents' identities are untraceable. The Balutes Tribe never remembers tribesmen devoured by Danger Beasts. She grew up by picking up discarded parts of prey hunted by other tribesmen. Unlike other xenophobic Balutes who are unwilling to leave the snowy mountains, she yearned for the outside world from a young age and walked out of the snowy mountains alone to come to the Imperial Capital. You can imagine how formidable this girl is."
Budo remained silent, unsure how to evaluate such a person.
"In deathmatches, her opponents were all defeated with a single strike, and her attacks were always lethal. It's not surprising that Balutes Tribe members are fierce fighters, but this girl is undoubtedly a perfect all-around talent. If she graduates as the top student, what position do you think the Imperial Military Department should give her?"
"Commanding an army…"
Budo had realized the seriousness of the situation, his thick brows furrowed as he said in a low voice:
"Women cannot command an army!"
Although the Imperial Military Academy does not exclude women, female officers, compared to male officers, are significantly superior in handling subtle details but often greatly inferior in broad strategic vision. Therefore, female officers who reach high positions in the Imperial Military Department are generally responsible for: intelligence, espionage, assassination, logistics, etc. While these positions are not unimportant—if a war lacked these, there would be no need to fight—they ultimately earn the most military merits away from the front lines, and the promotion speed for female officers is generally several ranks slower than for male officers.
This is a tradition and a habitual perception that has evolved over a thousand years in the Empire: women cannot command an army. It has formed a prejudice within the Imperial military. However, Tohsaka Rin's transcript is undoubtedly poised to break this tradition!
"I will not bury talent, nor will I engage in any shameful backroom dealings like those corrupt politicians. Maintaining the pure and noble atmosphere of the Imperial Military Department is the foundation for protecting the Empire! Just as the Imperial Grand General's son must graduate from the Imperial Military Academy to become an officer. If Tohsaka Rin graduates as the top student, breaking the academy's historical record, she will be able to choose any Imperial Arm from the Imperial Treasury and directly become a full General. No matter how unwilling I am to see this, I absolutely cannot insult the Empire's military spirit."
The young Budo secretly resented, clenching his fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands. Imperial Grand General Black looked at his son, was silent for a moment, then slowly let out a deep sigh:
"The final martial arts assessment tests not only the student's own strength but also their personal resources and connections. Therefore, the use of self-provided equipment is permitted. This was the final compromise made to the nobles when the academy was established. Now, it seems we too must make use of it."
Saying this, Imperial Grand General Black placed a rhomboid, hexagonal steel body on the table.
"For tomorrow's assessment, take 'admirer' with you. Over the years, your mastery of it has reached a proficient level. Using a family Imperial Arm for an assessment already brings shame to our family. The Bu Family does not permit such failure, so you must win, but absolutely no casualties or serious injuries, understand?"
"…Understood!"
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