My Name Is Akame. Pleased to Meet You / A Familiar Face ...

Najenda did not say anything, merely smiling faintly in silence.

Najenda had more or less guessed that Koizumi needed this so-called intelligence because he was searching for something.

A naïve kid like him would not have any excessive ambitions. Even if he did, he would not cause much of a stir.

That allowed Najenda to set aside some of her worries, if only slightly.

Maybe he was putting on an act. Najenda was still somewhat concerned about that possibility.

Hundred Personas and Serenity looked at Koizumi without saying anything. They knew this was not the place to speak with him.

As summoned Assassins, they still carried many mysteries. In Koizumi's eyes, those were mysteries he needed to unravel gradually. Likewise, as the only Master in this Singularity, Koizumi was also a puzzle in the eyes of the two Assassins, one they needed to ask about clearly.

Incidentally, all the Assassins from earlier had vanished, leaving behind only one skeletal leader.

It looked like that was the skeletal leader's innate skill or Noble Phantasm.

That skeletal leader was Hundred Personas, while the skeletal girl covered in deadly poison was Serenity.

"Yo! Kid! You finally made it!" Leone enthusiastically threw an arm around Koizumi's shoulders.

Koizumi stared at her speechlessly. By the way, were you planning to return the money you stole from me?

After shooting Leone a glare, Koizumi drove his elbow straight into her stomach.

"Hand over the money you stole first! Reimu even kicked me because I had to pay compensation!"

At the mention of stolen money, Leone's cheeks stiffened slightly.

Honestly, after stealing so many times, this was the only time she had stolen from the wrong person—someone important.

She had now decided that next time she stole money from outsiders, she had better be more careful. At the very least, she needed to investigate whether they were important figures. Stealing from nobodies was no big deal, but if they were big shots, it was better to run far away.

So one had to be cautious, especially when stealing money. She would remember this lesson.

"Oh, Koizumi, you're here..." Seeing Koizumi sit across from her, Reimu acted as if she had only just noticed him. It filled Koizumi with a strange sadness. I've been here for ages. Don't tell me you were so absorbed in eating that you forgot everything else?

Noticing Koizumi's strange look, Reimu hurriedly turned her head away.

She had actually noticed him a long time ago. She just could not bear to stop eating such delicious food.

She had heard that all this food was made by the Imperial Arm named Susanoo. Not only was it exceptionally capable in close combat, it was also highly skilled at housework. Cleaning, laundry, it could do it all, and it specialized in over a thousand dishes.

This was simply perfect... It could completely rival that maid in Remilia's house...

If she had someone like that to take care of her, her life would truly be perfect.

My Name Is Akame, Pleased to Meet You

"Mmm! This is really good!" Honestly, Koizumi had no idea why Reimu enjoyed these dishes so much.

But after taking his first bite, even Koizumi's eyes lit up. These dishes tasted amazing.

They were even better than his own cooking. Night Raid actually had a professional chef! He had underestimated them!

No wonder Reimu could not bear to leave these dishes alone. There was not a single repeated dish among them, and every one was at least chef-level, perhaps even better. Were these really dishes made by a professional?

Koizumi could not help asking himself that. He was genuinely curious.

"All these dishes were made by Susanoo. Susanoo is Night Raid's biological-type Imperial Arm. I went to Revolutionary Army headquarters and became compatible with him, then he came to Night Raid alongside Lord Hundred Personas and the others. Incidentally, Susanoo is not only extremely capable in close combat, but also highly skilled at housework. He can clean, do laundry, and his specialty repertoire includes over a thousand dishes."

Najenda began introducing her Imperial Arm to Koizumi, pride evident in her voice.

How should she put it? Being compatible with such a perfect Imperial Arm indirectly proved her own excellence, did it not?

Najenda was not the flashy sort, but that was only because circumstances did not allow it. A surrendered general could hardly act high-profile within the Revolutionary Army. Still, as a general, Najenda had her own pride. Now that she had a rare chance to take pride in something, how could she possibly let it slip away?

Her own teammates already knew her too well, so it was difficult to show off in front of them. She could only find newcomers instead.

Najenda's idea was quite good, and it worked. Koizumi had indeed been impressed.

Not only was it extremely capable in close combat, it was also highly skilled at housework, could clean and do laundry, and knew over a thousand dishes... This Imperial Arm was incredible. It could handle both life and combat. I want an Imperial Arm like that too...

Reimu was the same. At that moment, she stared brightly at Susanoo, her envy practically spilling from her face.

"Hey... Your name is Najenda, right? How about exchanging Susanoo for my charms? You can have as many as you want... Even my—" Reimu's next words were directly cut off by Koizumi. If she kept going, everyone around them would look at him strangely. He was Reimu's teammate, after all. If Reimu embarrassed herself, he would be embarrassed too!

And you were about to offer your integrity, weren't you...? Your integrity is already in the negatives. Nobody would buy it!

Najenda's mouth twitched violently. She felt as if she had heard something she should not have, but that had to be her imagination.

"This Imperial Arm is indeed frighteningly impressive. It can handle both everyday life and combat. Lady Najenda, being compatible with an Imperial Arm like this means you're quite remarkable too..." Koizumi's praise was sincere, and Najenda's pride was satisfied.

But then again, did Night Raid only have this many people? The pink-haired twin-tailed girl, the purple qipao girl, the bold older sister, Hundred Personas and Serenity, Najenda, Susanoo, and the headphone-wearing girl who had been standing behind Najenda and looking curiously at him, Reimu, and Hata no Kokoro...

It felt like the numbers did not match what he had sensed earlier. There should still be people who had not appeared yet.

As if sensing Koizumi's confusion, Najenda stepped forward to explain.

"Part of Night Raid is still covering our rear, keeping watch in case anyone has discovered Night Raid's location. After all, establishing our base on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital carries considerable risk. This place is isolated and rarely visited, making it ideal for a base, but people may still think of that." Najenda smiled faintly.

Koizumi nodded unconsciously. As expected of Night Raid's boss. Such boldness was truly impressive.

It seemed he still had much to learn... Koizumi silently told himself.

"Boss, we're back!" Speak of the devil. Should he praise their efficiency, or their ability to foresee the future? They had returned the moment everyone mentioned them.

At the front was a black-haired, red-eyed girl. The katana at her waist gave off an extremely dangerous feeling.

That danger was like the poison on Serenity's body. It seemed to be something similar.

If nothing unexpected happened, it should be an Imperial Arm. Night Raid was an assassin organization responsible for killing high-ranking Imperial Capital officials. If they did not each have an Imperial Arm, they would seem far too weak and would not have been qualified to hold out against Reimu and the others for so long.

To her left was a muscular man with... a very strange pompadour. He was rather handsome, but Koizumi and Reimu could not help mocking that hairstyle. Had he used hair gel? How did he keep it like that?

Still, Koizumi sensed danger from the man before him...

Sure enough, Night Raid was full of hidden talents. How many people had already made him feel threatened?

Fortunately, the person on the right looked normal—a handsome, young man with green hair.

But did all that green mean someone would cuckold him in the future? That color did not seem compatible with romance. His romantic fortunes would probably be terrible, and anyone he pursued likely would not end well.

There was no helping it. Green clothes, green hair, and a green hat—was that not a perfect match?

"You're all back. Are you alright?" Najenda asked with concern. Though she knew nothing was likely to have happened, she treated Night Raid like her own family.

When family went to war, no one stopped worrying simply because their family was strong. The weather was unpredictable, and fortune could change overnight. Accidents could happen at any time on a battlefield. It would be stranger not to ask after their safety.

"We're fine. Some foreign mercenaries tracked this place down, but we dealt with them."

The black-haired, red-eyed girl spoke calmly. The cold aura around her made Koizumi's body tense instinctively.

Lubbock's Thousand Transformations: Cross Tail was very useful. A large area around Night Raid was covered in the barrier created by his Imperial Arm. The moment anything stirred, it would react.

That was good. Najenda nodded softly, but then...

The black-haired, red-eyed girl suddenly focused her gaze on Koizumi, leaving him thoroughly baffled.

What was going on? Did she... know me?

Then, under Koizumi's puzzled gaze, the girl slowly stepped forward and extended her right hand.

"My name is Akame. Pleased to meet you."

A Familiar Face

Silence fell once again. After Akame said those words, everyone went quiet.

Reimu was silent because she did not know why, Hata no Kokoro was silent because she was used to it, and Koizumi was silent because he was confused. As for why everyone else was silent, Koizumi did not know, Reimu did not know, and Hata no Kokoro knew even less.

Akame also looked around in confusion. She had merely introduced herself to the newcomer. What was wrong?

Her red eyes moved from Najenda onward, sweeping across each person one by one as she tilted her head slightly to express her confusion.

"So, Akame, you really know this kid?" Leone threw an arm around Akame's shoulder, intensely curious. It could not be helped. As Akame's comrades and friends, they somehow did not know someone Akame knew.

They were curious because, from what they knew, Akame had depended on her younger sister before being sold to the Empire and had known no one else. After entering the Empire, she became one of the seven elite members of the Imperial Assassination Squad. So the people Akame knew were basically members of that squad, but the seven elite members were nearly all dead now. Aside from her younger sister still being in the Empire, who else could Akame know whom they did not?

Honestly, they had started wondering about this ever since Akame said they should pay attention to outsiders in the Imperial Capital.

Who exactly was Akame looking for? Aside from Akame's younger sister, they had never seen her care so much about anyone.

"I don't know him... This is the first time I've met him." Akame spoke calmly, without the slightest change in expression.

She truly did not look as though she knew him. After all, that was how she had greeted him upon meeting him. Still, Akame had never before approached a newcomer so enthusiastically, which was why Najenda and the others who knew her well were so curious.

Normally, Akame would not do this. She would remain silent, only showing concern when necessary and casually asking whether the other person had joined them. If they had, she would say a little more. If not, that was that.

That was the normal Akame. But Akame now was clearly not quite normal.

Leone and the others instinctively looked toward Koizumi. Could the two really be meeting for the first time?

Not only Leone and the others, even Reimu and Hata no Kokoro turned their attention to Koizumi. They were probably wondering whether Koizumi had been from this world before losing his memories, because there was something strange between him and Akame.

But then again, Akame was the strange one, not Koizumi! What was strange about Koizumi?

Yet... at that very moment, Koizumi was examining Akame as well. For some reason, aside from those red eyes, he felt as if he had seen that face somewhere before... But he simply could not remember where...

"Hey! You don't really know her, do you? Before you lost your memories, were you from this world?"

Sure enough, Reimu asked the question. She really suspected Koizumi was from this world.

Unfortunately, his answer would ultimately disappoint her...

"Don't overthink it. I'm definitely not from this world, I can be certain of that. I just feel that her face is familiar. Aside from those red eyes, that face really is familiar, but I can't remember when I saw it at all."

Koizumi scratched his head. He vaguely remembered that it had not been a pair of red eyes. It seemed to have been... black...

He truly could not remember clearly. This was the first time something like this had happened. Before, he either remembered nothing at all or remembered everything clearly. There had never been such vague, uncertain memories. It left Koizumi feeling deeply confused. Had he forgotten something again? That was certainly possible, but lately he had been staying beside Reimu and Hata no Kokoro.

Aside from his encounter with Leone, Koizumi had hardly left Reimu and Hata no Kokoro's side.

How troublesome... Honestly, he had never cared much about memories before, but this was the first time Koizumi realized how annoying they could be. Remembering sometimes and forgetting other times felt awful!

As if she had heard Koizumi's words, Akame's red pupils suddenly contracted, but quickly returned to normal.

No one noticed that fleeting change, not even Koizumi and Reimu.

Since Koizumi and Reimu had spoken quietly, it seemed that no one besides Akame had heard them.

No... Perhaps the two Assassins from before had heard Koizumi and Reimu's conversation, but they were clearly not the sort to be interested in such talk.

In the end, Najenda broke the silence. Someone had to break the awkward atmosphere.

With Najenda's introductions, Koizumi gained a general understanding of everyone in Night Raid.

For example, the muscular young man was named Bulat. He had once been an Imperial general, a warrior who had cut down 128 people in a single battle. He was immensely powerful, a special operative capable of skillfully using various tactics to eliminate enemies.

The man dressed entirely in green was named Lubbock. Originally the fourth son of a wealthy local merchant, he later voluntarily followed Najenda. His frontal combat ability was not high, and his fighting style focused on technique.

As for why he followed Najenda... Apparently, he had fallen in love with her. Well, it seemed this guy's romantic path would be rough. Najenda looked like the type who put duty before personal matters. Poor Lubbock.

Still, Lubbock was impressive. He had been willing to give up a massive family fortune for love. He seemed like a friend worth making.

The pink-haired twin-tailed girl was named Mine, a shooting prodigy. Apparently, she had been the one sniping at Reimu. Reimu also praised Mine's accuracy. If not for her incredibly sharp instincts and Gensokyo's specialty being bullet hell, Reimu would probably have been hit.

The mature woman in the light-purple qipao was named Sheele. She wore glasses and liked reading, but she was absentminded and airheaded. Still, she was very gentle. Koizumi could make that judgment after merely looking at her once.

The headphone-wearing girl was named Chelsea. He had heard she was an assassin from Revolutionary Army headquarters. She had a lively, cheerful personality and was friendly toward people, but she also liked joking and playing pranks. She was a girl with a devious side. Koizumi only needed to ask Mine and the others a little to know Chelsea was quite sly. Apparently, she had only been here a few days and was already frequently mocking and teasing Mine.

Still, Akame and the others were very friendly toward Chelsea, and Chelsea often gave Akame candy and other things to eat.

But then again, speaking of candy, why did he think of a girl who looked exactly like Akame but had different eye colors?

Discussion

Though not much time had passed, Koizumi had already learned quite a bit about Night Raid through his conversations with the others. This basic understanding of one another was necessary, otherwise getting along in the future would be troublesome.

It had to be said that after staying awake all night, Koizumi was rather listless.

He had spent an entire night with his nerves taut, prepared for battle, then was ambushed and poisoned. Though his body had recovered now, his mental state was not much better... At least, Koizumi looked extremely exhausted at the moment.

He wanted to rest, but he could not sleep right now. So he spent his time getting familiar with Night Raid. With Reimu's help, he had become quite familiar with Night Raid already.

At that moment, Koizumi sat silently on the ground, gazing into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

"Are you free right now?" Reimu suddenly walked over to Koizumi's side and slowly sat down.

"Aren't you too..." Koizumi rolled his eyes at Reimu and replied speechlessly.

She spoke as though she herself was not free. Though Reimu needed to help the Revolutionary Army make charms, without getting the intelligence first, she could not be bothered to start making charms for them. So they still needed to wait for the intelligence to arrive.

Besides, Reimu still had plenty of charms. She had made quite a few while in the Imperial Capital and still had extras on her.

After giving every member of Night Raid one charm, Reimu did not give any more away.

She treated those charms as payment for the food Night Raid had given her. It was no big deal, since they were extras anyway.