"Truly reckless and unrestrained... compared to you, Esdeath might as well be a saint," Daniel muttered as he and Esdeath prepared to act. Just then, Run and Will limped back, visibly injured and seething with rage.
Esdeath had always been notorious for her sadistic tendencies, even decorating her garden with flowers that enhanced physical pain. But despite her cruel reputation, she never harmed innocent civilians. Her targets were either enemies or criminals sanctioned by the Empire. She had even been a familiar face along the main street near her estate, often frequenting the shops there.
The Wild Hounds, however, were a different story. The reason for Run and Will's fury was that they had just encountered members of the Wild Hounds slaughtering civilians in broad daylight. Despite their outrage, they could only manage to save a few of the victims, as the Wild Hounds operated under the protection of Prime Minister Honest's son, Shura, and the Imperial decree appointing them. Even Will and Run, as members of Esdeath's elite Hunters, were helpless to intervene more effectively.
As for the Imperial Guard, they wouldn't dare defy Honest's son. The civilians murdered by the Wild Hounds were officially branded as Revolutionary Army spies or traitors, and the carnage continued unchecked.
"Captain, Vice-Captain, is this really what the Empire has become?" Will, deeply troubled, couldn't bring himself to finish his thought. Coming from a small fishing village, he had been taken under the wing of an Imperial Navy admiral and raised to serve the Empire. However, seeing the current state of the Empire, Will was struggling to reconcile his loyalty with the reality before him.
Run, who usually remained composed, seemed unusually distant since returning. Normally, Run would be the one to report, while Will would quietly listen. But today, Will had taken on the role of recounting the incident, while Run stayed silent.
"We understand. We were just about to deal with it. You two should rest for now," Daniel said as he and Esdeath made their way out.
Esdeath didn't plan on confronting General Budo just yet. First, she needed to vent her growing frustration, and Shura, along with his underling Enshin, made for perfect targets. Shura had once tried to take advantage of Esdeath, while Enshin had leered at her during a recent encounter at the palace. Normally, Esdeath would have tolerated this out of respect for Honest's influence, but not anymore.
"Esdeath-sama," the soldiers of the Imperial Guard turned pale as Esdeath and Daniel arrived at the scene of the massacre on the street. The guards were in the process of cleaning up the blood and corpses left by the Wild Hounds.
"Where did the Wild Hounds go?" Esdeath asked coldly, her icy demeanor only adding to the chill that pervaded the air.
"They went to the Tiger Theater," one of the guards quickly replied, not daring to defy her.
The Tiger Theater was the largest in the Imperial Capital. Although this world had advanced weapons like guns and missiles, it lagged far behind in terms of entertainment technology—there were no radios or electronic devices. As a result, theaters and similar venues were highly popular among the wealthy and noble classes. The Tiger Theater was home to one of the most famous and beautiful singers, making it an ideal location for Shura and his equally depraved subordinate, Enshin.
Esdeath's target was now clear.
Inside the Tiger Theater, the scene was one of pure carnage. Blood and severed limbs littered the floor, and the air was filled with the screams of survivors. Enshin, delighting in the suffering of his victims, muttered to himself about Esdeath's beauty as he tortured a woman.
"She's out of your league," Shura said with a hint of jealousy as he overheard Enshin's comments. Despite his crude manner, Shura had his sights set on Esdeath as well.
Shura had returned to the capital with the sole purpose of claiming Esdeath for himself.
On the other side of the theater, Izou, one of the few members of the Wild Hounds without a perverse vice, stood surrounded by bodies he had cut down. His only desire was to fight strong opponents.
"I'd love to test myself against the strongest in the Empire," Izou muttered.
"You'll get your chance," Shura responded with a chuckle. Izou was Shura's trump card, the reason he felt confident in facing Esdeath and General Budo. Izou had joined the Wild Hounds with the promise that he could challenge either of the Empire's greatest warriors.
Meanwhile, Cosmeya, one of the two women in the Wild Hounds, was growing increasingly irritated by the constant talk of Esdeath. Cosmeya was a famous singer and sorceress from the Western Kingdom, renowned for her beauty. But even she had to begrudgingly admit that Esdeath surpassed her in looks, power, and presence, a fact that gnawed at her.
The other female member of the Wild Hounds, Doya, didn't care about Esdeath at all. She was too busy torturing the children in the theater.
"Don't worry. Once we've crushed the Revolutionary Army, you'll all get whatever you desire. The Empire will be ours." Shura's ambitions were far greater than his father's. He considered Honest a coward for being content to remain Prime Minister when he could have easily taken the throne.
Shura's aspirations were clear: once the Revolutionary Army was dealt with, he planned to seize control of the Empire for himself.
"These rebels will give my creations a good workout," Doya said with a cruel smile. She was a skilled alchemist and an Imperial Arms user, ready to unleash her deadly inventions.
Boom!
Just as the Wild Hounds continued their atrocities, the doors to the theater exploded open, letting in a frigid breeze. The temperature plummeted as Esdeath and Daniel stepped into the theater.
"Esdeath-sama! What an honor to see you here," Shura quickly shoved aside the woman in his arms and stood up, forcing a smile. Behind his back, his hand gripped the hilt of his Imperial Arm, Shangri-La. He feared Esdeath more than anyone in the Empire, knowing full well that she had nearly killed him before.
"Were you the ones who injured my men?" Esdeath's voice was icy and devoid of emotion as she surveyed the carnage.
"It was just a misunderstanding. We were dealing with Revolutionary Army spies, and things got out of hand," Shura stammered, trying to downplay the situation.
Before he could continue, Daniel's voice rang out from behind him. "A misunderstanding? I don't think so." Shura froze, startled by the voice behind him. As he instinctively reached for Shangri-La, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. Looking down, he realized his right arm had been severed at the shoulder, the Imperial Arm falling from his grasp.
"Finally, got my hands on it," Daniel said, holding Shangri-La as he appeared beside Esdeath, coldly gazing at the remaining members of the Wild Hounds.
"You dare attack me?" Shura spat, seething with rage as he injected a syringe into his shoulder to stop the bleeding. It was one of the many drugs he had acquired from Dr. Stylish to enhance his body's recovery.
But before he could finish his sentence, Esdeath was already upon him. She slashed through his legs with an ice blade, freezing the wounds to prevent him from bleeding out. With a swift kick, she sent him flying across the theater, where he crashed into the stage.
"What are you all waiting for?" Shura shouted at the rest of the Wild Hounds. He knew Esdeath wouldn't hesitate to kill him, and escaping from her was his only chance.
Izou, eager for a challenge, drew his sword and stepped forward, ready to face Esdeath. "Finally, a chance to test myself against the strongest."
At the same time, Enshin, Doya, Cosmeya, and Champ prepared to fight. They unsheathed their Imperial Arms, ready for battle.
But before they could attack, a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the theater. Enshin, who had been preparing to strike, was hoisted into the air by a series of wires, bound tightly by the Cross Tail Imperial Arm. Enshin, the feared pirate of the Southern Seas, screamed in agony as the wires cut deeper into his flesh.
With a flick of Daniel's wrist, the wires tightened, severing Enshin's limbs into dozens of pieces. Not wanting him to die too quickly, Daniel controlled the wires to stop the bleeding, ensuring Enshin would suffer for a little longer.
"Attack!" Doya and Cosmeya shouted in unison, commanding Champ to unleash his Imperial Arm. But the two women immediately turned and fled, knowing they stood no chance against Esdeath and Daniel.
"You won't get away that easily," Daniel smirked, forming a small Mystic Gate in the path of Champ's attack, redirecting it back toward him. The elemental spheres that Champ had launched struck him from behind, coating him in a layer of ice.
Champ's Imperial Arm, Fist of the Elements, allowed him to throw six different elemental spheres: Storm, Explosion, Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Corrosion. But despite its power, Champ had never fully mastered its potential.
"You're in the way," Daniel muttered dismissively. Champ was insignificant compared to the true prize—Doya, the alchemist from the Western Kingdom.
As Cosmeya and Doya fled, they knew they were running out of time. If they could escape the capital, even Esdeath wouldn't be able to pursue them across the entire Empire. But Daniel had no intention of letting them slip away so easily.
"Do you really think you can escape?" Daniel whispered, his voice echoing ominously in the theater. His hands moved with practiced precision as he conjured more Mystic Gates, blocking off the exits ahead of the fleeing women.
Cosmeya turned just in time to see the glowing portal materialize before her, trapping her within the theater. She skidded to a halt, eyes widening in panic as Doya caught up beside her. They had no choice but to turn and face Daniel once more.
"We're not going down without a fight!" Cosmeya snarled, summoning her Imperial Arm, Melodia, a harp-like weapon that could manipulate sound to attack her enemies. She strummed the strings violently, sending waves of sonic energy toward Daniel.
At the same time, Doya activated her own Imperial Arm, Grave Digger, a device that allowed her to summon mechanical creations from the ground. Dozens of alchemically enhanced soldiers erupted from beneath the theater floor, armed and ready to protect their master.
But Daniel didn't flinch. With a single motion, he raised his hand and opened another Mystic Gate in front of the incoming sound waves, swallowing them into the void. The waves of sonic energy vanished, as if they had never existed.
"Your tricks won't work on me," Daniel said coldly, his eyes locking onto Cosmeya's. He then turned his attention to the approaching mechanical soldiers and flicked his fingers. In an instant, the soldiers collapsed into piles of scrap metal, their alchemical bonds severed by Daniel's power.
Doya gasped, stepping back in horror as she watched her creations fall apart with ease. "What… what are you?"
Daniel's cold smile didn't waver. "I'm someone who's done playing games."
Before either of the women could react, Daniel dashed forward with blinding speed. Cosmeya barely had time to raise Melodia in defense, but it was too late. With a swift strike, Daniel shattered the harp, leaving her defenseless.
"No!" Cosmeya screamed as she stumbled backward. But Daniel showed no mercy. He reached out and, with a single motion, struck several pressure points along her body. She collapsed to the ground, paralyzed and unable to move.
Doya turned to run, but she only managed a few steps before Daniel appeared in front of her, blocking her path. "Your little toys can't save you now," he said, his voice calm yet menacing. With a flick of his wrist, he knocked her unconscious.
The two women lay helpless at his feet, defeated without much effort. Daniel glanced down at them, unimpressed.
"Amateurs," he muttered under his breath.
Meanwhile, back at the center of the theater, Esdeath and Izou were locked in a fierce battle. Izou's blade moved with deadly precision, but no matter how fast or sharp his strikes were, Esdeath parried them effortlessly with her ice blades.
"You're skilled," Esdeath admitted, her cold blue eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and admiration. "But you'll never be able to defeat me."
Izou gritted his teeth, his sword flashing in the dim light as he launched another series of attacks. "I won't stop until I've tested my strength against the best!"
Esdeath smiled, enjoying the challenge. She twirled her ice blades gracefully, deflecting each strike and countering with precise, calculated moves. Despite Izou's best efforts, he was clearly outmatched.
"Your will is commendable," Esdeath said as she finally disarmed him, sending his sword flying across the theater. "But will alone is not enough."
With a powerful strike, she slammed him to the ground, pinning him beneath the tip of her ice sword. Izou, breathing heavily, looked up at her in defiance.
"Go on, finish it," he growled.
Esdeath tilted her head, considering his request. But after a moment, she stepped back, releasing him. "No," she said, surprising him. "There's no honor in killing someone who's already lost. You're not worth my time."
Izou, humbled and beaten, remained silent as Esdeath turned her attention back to Shura, who was still writhing in pain at the edge of the stage.
"Shura, it's time for you to learn your place," Esdeath said as she approached him, her cold demeanor returning. "You thought you could toy with me? With the Empire?"
Shura, now pale and drenched in sweat, looked up at her with fear in his eyes. "Please... spare me. I can still be useful!"
Esdeath knelt beside him, her expression unchanging. "You've been nothing but a nuisance. You'll die here, just like the others."
As she raised her ice sword to deliver the final blow, Daniel appeared beside her, placing a hand on her arm. "Let me," he said calmly.
Esdeath hesitated for a moment before nodding and stepping aside.
Daniel looked down at the pitiful form of Shura, the once arrogant son of Prime Minister Honest, now reduced to a quivering wreck. "You never stood a chance," Daniel whispered as he reached out and touched Shura's forehead. In an instant, a wave of energy surged through Shura's body, and his eyes went blank. His body went limp, life slipping away in a matter of seconds.
"It's done," Daniel said, standing up and dusting off his hands. He glanced around the theater, now quiet and devoid of life except for the faint groans of the surviving members of the Wild Hounds.
Esdeath sheathed her blade, satisfied. "We've dealt with them. Now, only Budo remains."
Daniel nodded. "Indeed. Let's finish this."
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