Recaps

Esdeath agreed to train Kurome and invited her to the palace, while Koizumi decided to go with Kurome and her friends. As they prepared to leave, Koizumi continued concealing his lost memories and wondered what secrets lay behind the Empire’s changed citizens.

• Esdeath noticed the Command Seals on Koizumi’s hand, then left with her officers after Kurome accepted her offer of training.
• Koizumi rejected Aerya’s company and agreed to accompany Kurome to the palace, suspecting that the Empire concealed something.
• Kurome returned to invite Remusu, Gin, and Mamin to move into the palace with her, and Gin scolded Kurome for going out alone.
• Koizumi reflected on Imperial Arms and his forgotten friendships while deciding not to tell the others about his lost memories.
• Kurome and her friends packed their belongings, including Kurome’s cookies, and prepared to head to the palace.

Koizumi accompanied Kurome and her friends to Esdeath’s estate, where he encountered General Budou and learned that the Empire seemed to be in an unexpectedly peaceful era. After Esdeath brought them to her training grounds, she suddenly attacked Koizumi, forcing him to reveal his vampire form and defend himself.

• Koizumi entered the imperial palace with Kurome and the others, while Kurome said she was excited to find a way to reunite with her sister.
• General Budou left Esdeath’s residence after threatening to eliminate her, and Koizumi grew suspicious when Esdeath complained that the Empire had no war or worthy opponents.
• Esdeath led Kurome, Koizumi, Gin, Mamin, and Remusu to the training grounds and introduced them to her Three Beasts: Liver, Nyau, and Daidus.
• Kurome trained with March of the Dead: Yatsufusa against Gin, Mamin, and Remusu, while Esdeath lamented that Kurome had not received proper training.
• Esdeath suddenly sent a massive ice spike at Koizumi, who blocked it with Gungnir, took to the air, and transformed into a vampire as she prepared to fight him.

Koizumi fought Esdeath, who wanted to test and train her, while Kurome and the others battled ice cavalrymen. After hours of brutal combat, Koizumi had learned to track Esdeath but was still decisively outmatched, and Esdeath was satisfied with the training.

• Esdeath attacked Koizumi because she wanted a worthy opponent, and Koizumi dodged her ice spikes before trading blows with her.
• Esdeath wounded Koizumi repeatedly and engulfed her in an ice storm, but Koizumi survived by transforming into bats and reassembling herself.
• Kurome fought an ice cavalryman alone while Remusu, Gin, and Mamin teamed up against another, and Kurome eventually cracked her opponent after hours of effort.
• Koizumi gradually learned to catch Esdeath's movements, but Esdeath blocked her attacks and sent her crashing into the ice with a powerful slash.
• Koizumi ended the fight pale and covered in wounds, while Esdeath felt satisfied after indulging her desire to battle.

After Koizumi’s brutal spar with Esdeath, he suffered a mysterious attack of pain in his sleep, which Reimu eased with talismans. He later waited with Reimu and Hata no Kokoro for Night Raid to arrive and discuss their deal.

• Koizumi acknowledged how much his strength had improved after sparring with Esdeath, while Kurome and Gin reacted to his injuries and fighting ability.
• Koizumi returned to his room to rest and experienced intense pain throughout his body in a dream, then woke to find Reimu and Hata no Kokoro beside him.
• Reimu’s talismans helped ease Koizumi’s pain, and she speculated that his sleeping habits might be to blame.
• Koizumi, Reimu, and Hata no Kokoro waited for Night Raid, while Reimu grew impatient and Koizumi explained why the group might be delayed.

Koizumi confronted Leone, who had stolen his money, when she brought Night Raid's Boss Najenda to meet him and Reimu. He negotiated a deal exchanging Reimu's charms for the Revolutionary Army's intelligence, but Najenda left to consult her superiors after Koizumi refused to explain why he needed it.

• Reimu and Hata no Kokoro detected threads sealing off the area as Leone arrived with Najenda.
• Koizumi recognized Leone as the person who had stolen his money, and Reimu's opinion of Night Raid worsened.
• Najenda apologized for Leone and proposed discussing cooperation, while Koizumi asked what Night Raid could offer in return for Reimu's charms.
• Koizumi used a Command Seal to stop Reimu from accepting money alone, then requested detailed intelligence from the Revolutionary Army in exchange for charms.
• Najenda asked why Koizumi wanted the intelligence, but he refused to reveal his purpose, so she left to consult the Revolutionary Army's higher-ups.

Najenda considered how to persuade the Revolutionary Army’s leaders to accept Koizumi’s group’s intelligence-sharing proposal, while Koizumi made his intentions clear and prepared for Night Raid to test his allies. As Koizumi continued training with Remilia’s power, his control and combat strength improved dramatically overnight.

• Najenda worried that the Revolutionary Army’s higher-ups might reject the deal or target Reimu, then heard headquarters’ arrangements and emerged to reassure Akame and Leone.
• Two skull-masked figures appeared behind Akame and Leone without being detected, demonstrating their stealth and speed.
• Koizumi explained to Reimu that he had disclosed their purpose to avoid secretly gathering intelligence and risking a later betrayal, then asked her and Hata no Kokoro to guard him.
• Reimu and Hata no Kokoro watched Koizumi train with Remilia’s power, and Reimu was astonished by how much his control had improved since the previous night.
• Koizumi wielded Gungnir as powerful magical energy surged from him, while Hata no Kokoro worried that the vampire’s influence might overwhelm his human will.

Koizumi fought Hata no Kokoro and managed to wound her before losing, impressing Reimu with how quickly his strength had grown. After Reimu sensed Night Raid’s forces entering her barrier, she and Hata no Kokoro confronted them, leaving Reimu fighting Leone and Mine while Akame and Bulat faced Hata no Kokoro.

• Koizumi hurled Gungnir at Hata no Kokoro, who defeated him but suffered a bloody cut from the attack.
• Reimu praised Koizumi’s progress as she and Hata no Kokoro stayed alert for Night Raid, then sensed multiple Servants and humans approaching.
• Reimu used her barrier to track the intruders and went with Hata no Kokoro toward the strongest combat presence.
• Reimu teleported past Leone’s punch and kicked her into a tree, then intercepted Mine’s beam with her danmaku.
• Hata no Kokoro blocked Akame’s katana, and Bulat joined Akame with Incursio to fight her.

Koizumi was ambushed by a crowd of Assassin Servants and answered with a huge magic circle, while Reimu and Leone stopped fighting after she revealed she had set up a barrier. Hata no Kokoro fought Akame, Bulat, and Lubbock, and the chapter left her holding her own despite being outnumbered.

• Hata no Kokoro burned through Lubbock's Cross Tail threads with magical flames, then challenged her opponents to fight for the title of strongest.
• Koizumi sensed danger but could not detect an approaching enemy, and he shifted into his vampire form when poisoned daggers flew at him.
• A large group of skull-masked Assassin Servants revealed themselves and charged Koizumi, who summoned an enormous magic circle over the battlefield.
• Reimu and Leone stopped exchanging blows when they noticed Koizumi's magic circle, and Leone admitted Night Raid could not defeat Reimu.
• Reimu told Leone she had placed a barrier around the area, while Hata no Kokoro used her skills to withstand Akame, Bulat, and Lubbock's attacks.

Koizumi was poisoned by a female Assassin and lost consciousness, but awakened within a strange inner space protected by Yakumo Yukari’s power. He recognized the whirlpool he had glimpsed as the Swirl of the Root, leaving his survival and the nature of his connection to it unresolved.

• Hata no Kokoro noticed Koizumi’s huge magical attack and intensified her fight against Akame, Bulat, and Lubbock, while Mine and Sheele left for the base and Leone invited Reimu along.
• Koizumi blasted the skull-masked Assassins and wondered whether they had been summoned as a group rather than as individuals.
• A female Assassin leaped onto Koizumi and poisoned him through contact, causing him to lose consciousness.
• Yakumo Yukari reassured Remilia that Koizumi could not be killed so easily because of his unusual nature and connection to Gensokyo.
• Koizumi found himself in a dark inner space, saw a whirlpool he identified as the Swirl of the Root, and realized Yukari’s power had protected him.

Koizumi survived the skull-masked girl's poison, gained access to the edge of Yukari's power, and fought NIGHTRAID's Assassins before Najenda stopped the confrontation and invited him to their headquarters. There, he reunited with Reimu and Hata no Kokoro and agreed to discuss cooperation with NIGHTRAID, while warning Najenda that his protective charms depended on receiving intelligence.

• Koizumi found that he could not understand the principles behind Yukari's boundary power, though he felt its strength within him.
• The skull-masked assassins discovered Koizumi was still alive, and he resisted the poison, summoned Gungnir, and attacked them.
• Susanoo charged at Koizumi, but Najenda arrived with Serenity and stopped the fight before inviting Koizumi to NIGHTRAID's headquarters.
• At NIGHTRAID's headquarters, Koizumi found Reimu enjoying a meal and Hata no Kokoro selling masks to the members.
• Koizumi agreed to cooperate with NIGHTRAID but reminded Najenda that he could withhold protective charms if they did not provide intelligence.

Koizumi met Night Raid’s returning members and became acquainted with the group, while Akame’s unusually eager greeting and Koizumi’s vague sense of familiarity left both of them puzzled. After a sleepless night, Koizumi sat with Reimu as they waited for intelligence from the Revolutionary Army.

• Koizumi confronted Leone about the money she had stolen, then joined Reimu in enjoying Susanoo’s cooking as Najenda introduced the Imperial Arm.
• Najenda explained that some Night Raid members had been guarding the base, and Akame returned with Bulat and Lubbock after they dealt with foreign mercenaries.
• Akame introduced herself to Koizumi despite claiming they had never met, and Koizumi admitted her face seemed familiar even though he could not recall why.
• Najenda introduced Night Raid’s members, and Koizumi learned about their abilities and backgrounds while trying to get to know them.
• After staying awake all night, Koizumi sat down to rest, and Reimu joined him while they waited for the intelligence they needed.

Koizumi and Reimu discussed Gensokyo and the identities of the Assassins Hundred Personas and Serenity. Akame then asked Koizumi whether he knew her sister Kurome and whether they had met before.

• Reimu explained that Gensokyo would welcome Koizumi if Yakumo Yukari approved, and Koizumi said he would resolve the Singularities first.
• Hata no Kokoro revealed that the two Assassins were Hassan of the Hundred Personas and Hassan of Serenity, prompting Reimu to explain their history.
• Akame appeared behind Koizumi, Reimu, and Hata no Kokoro, and Reimu noticed that Akame's faint Servant aura resembled that of the lightning user Ademir.
• Reimu and Hata no Kokoro left Akame alone with Koizumi after Akame signaled that she wanted to speak with him.
• Akame asked Koizumi whether he knew Kurome; he said he did not, and Akame confirmed that Kurome was her younger sister.
• Akame then asked Koizumi whether they had known each other before.

Koizumi asked Akame whether they had met before, then joined Night Raid and sought training from Serenity Hassan and Hundred Personas Hassan. After training and sharing dinner with the group, he encountered Serenity alone, who had remained unusually quiet throughout the day.

• Koizumi told Akame they were meeting for the first time, and Akame welcomed him into Night Raid.
• Koizumi asked Serenity Hassan and Hundred Personas Hassan to train him and offered to answer their questions about his arrival.
• Hundred Personas and Serenity trained Koizumi in assassination tactics, and Koizumi grew more familiar with them.
• Koizumi, Reimu, Hata no Kokoro, and Night Raid shared a meal after training, while Hata no Kokoro sold masks to the group.
• Serenity approached Koizumi after dinner, having asked him no questions during the day's training.

Koizumi formed a contract with Serenity Hassan after she discovered that her poison could not harm him. After a mysterious dream and Reimu catching Serenity in his bed, Koizumi’s group accepted Serenity as their intelligence gatherer and looked forward to Hundred Personas joining them.

• Serenity Hassan eagerly touched Koizumi to confirm that his body was immune to her poison, and a magical contract formed between them, restoring her strength and revealing her face.
• Koizumi dreamed of a woman holding a powerful blue book marked with a D, but he could not reach her before his memories began to fade.
• Koizumi woke to find Serenity in his bed, and Reimu walked in and mistook the scene for an affair.
• Reimu blasted open the roof with her purification rod, then learned that Koizumi and Serenity had formed a contract.
• Reimu accepted Serenity’s decision to join them, and the group valued her Assassin skills for gathering intelligence while awaiting Hundred Personas.

Koizumi accepted a Night Raid mission to assassinate the noble Reias, whose family abused and murdered young girls and their captives. Najenda assigned Akame to accompany him, and Koizumi suggested bringing Chelsea as well.

• Najenda asked Koizumi about the talismans, and he promised they would be completed on schedule once the Revolutionary Army provided intelligence.
• Leone presented evidence of Reias's family's crimes and explained that their client, a former servant, had killed himself after asking Night Raid to avenge him and his lover.
• Koizumi volunteered to take the mission, surprising Najenda, Reimu, Hata no Kokoro, and the others.
• Najenda assigned Akame to accompany Koizumi for support, and Koizumi proposed that Chelsea join them for her useful disguise ability.

Koizumi insisted on preparing himself for future fights and asked Shizune to investigate Ouka the Ogre, while he planned an assassination mission with Akame and Chelsea. Chelsea tried to tease him, but Koizumi kept getting distracted, leaving her questioning whether he noticed her charm.

• Reimu worried Koizumi had never killed anyone, but Koizumi said he would not stand behind others while they risked their lives.
• Koizumi asked Shizune to investigate Ouka the Ogre in the capital and report everything she learned.
• Koizumi considered how to assassinate Reias and his family despite the capital’s increased security and the limits of Chelsea’s Imperial Arm.
• Chelsea approached Koizumi to test his character and teased him by moving close, causing him to stumble before Akame caught him.
• Chelsea bragged about being more attractive than Mine, but Koizumi became distracted by thoughts of two people and ignored her flirtation.

Koizumi, Akame, and Chelsea prepared to ambush Reias outside the Imperial Capital, though Akame and Chelsea secretly planned to follow Koizumi if he entered the city alone. As Reias headed to the dangerous beast settlement with guards and the twin sisters Lia and Lie, Chelsea resolved to spare Akame the burden of killing her sister Kurome herself.

• Koizumi rejected Chelsea's suggestion to assassinate Reias inside the Imperial Capital, citing its heightened security and the danger Akame would face there.
• Koizumi said he would handle the rest of Reias's family alone after Akame and Chelsea dealt with Reias, but both women decided to follow him in secret.
• Koizumi, Akame, and Chelsea reached the dangerous beast settlement to study its terrain and plan an escape route.
• Akame recalled training there with Kurome, and Chelsea decided she would kill Kurome so Akame would not have to kill her own sister.
• Reias left the Imperial Capital with his guards and the twins Lia and Lie, whom he had lured into trusting him.

Koizumi, Akame, and Chelsea waited in ambush while discussing the Revolutionary Army and prepared to confront Reias. Elsewhere, Seryu struggled with the revelation that Ouka was corrupt, while Lia and Lie fled Danger Beasts until Koizumi and the others arrived to fight their pursuers.

• Chelsea explained that she and Akame knew little about the Revolutionary Army's inner workings, so Koizumi planned to ask Najenda or Serenity about its Servants and secrets.
• Akame reassured Koizumi that Leone's assessment of Reias's behavior was reliable, then sent Chelsea to scout as screams and Danger Beast roars sounded nearby.
• Serenity infiltrated the Imperial Guard and found Seryu leading it under General Bude's command while Ouka was absent.
• Seryu regretted trusting Ouka and missed the peaceful days she had spent with Koizumi, Reimu, and Hata no Kokoro; a shadow passed unnoticed nearby.
• Lia and Lie fled through the forest after Reias turned against them, but a dinosaur-like Danger Beast cornered them as Koizumi, Akame, and Chelsea began fighting their target.

Koizumi and Akame rescued Lia and Lie from a Danger Beast, then confronted Reias and the guards who had abandoned the sisters in the forest. Koizumi fought the guards himself, discovered that killing and tasting human blood awakened more of his vampire power, and Chelsea pursued the fleeing Reias.

• Lia shielded Lie from a dinosaur Danger Beast, but Koizumi and Akame arrived and Koizumi felled it with Gungnir.
• Akame praised Lia for protecting her sister, while Koizumi mocked the wounded Danger Beast and drew suspicion from Akame with his bloodthirsty aura.
• Reias arrived with his guards, recognized Akame, and was identified by Lia and Lie as the man who had left them in the forest.
• Reias ordered the guards to attack, but Koizumi stopped Akame from intervening and charged into battle himself.
• Koizumi swiftly killed several guards, and tasting human blood intensified his vampire power and increased the pressure of his aura.
• Chelsea transformed into an eagle and flew after Reias as Akame watched Koizumi's strength rise.

Koizumi killed Reias’s accomplice while Chelsea assassinated Reias, then agreed to bring Lia and Lie to Night Raid after they asked to follow him. Najenda approved their arrival, partly because she understood Akame’s concern for the twin sisters.

• Koizumi killed the vicious man with Gungnir, and Akame checked that he was not troubled by killing for the first time.
• Chelsea returned with Reias’s body after disguising herself to get close and killing him with a poisoned needle.
• Lia and Lie asked to follow Koizumi, and he discussed bringing them to Night Raid with Akame and Chelsea.
• Koizumi warned Lia and Lie that Night Raid’s life was harsh and dangerous, but they chose to stay with the group.
• Najenda agreed to take the sisters in and recognized that Akame’s concern for them came from thinking of Kurome.

Koizumi learned that General Bude had taken control of the Imperial Guard, making an Imperial Capital infiltration far more dangerous, and Najenda explained why Bude’s intervention broke his family’s longstanding rule against political affairs. Koizumi prepared to investigate Bude and find Seryu, then assembled a team for the mission.

• Najenda agreed that Akame could keep Lia and Lie safe, while Koizumi returned to his room to await Serenity and plan a possible visit to Seryu.
• Serenity reported that Ouka had likely been executed by General Bude and that Seryu was confused; she also revealed that Bude had taken over the Imperial Guard.
• Najenda warned that Bude’s troops made infiltrating the Imperial Capital extremely dangerous, and Koizumi decided he might need to enter alone.
• Najenda explained that Bude’s family commandment forbade political involvement, making his personal purge of the Imperial Guard deeply suspicious to her.
• Koizumi prepared for the mission with Mine, Sheele, Akame, and Chelsea, while Mine complained about having to follow his orders.

Koizumi infiltrated the Imperial Guard base with Chelsea to find Seryu and take her away from the Imperial Capital. He reunited with her and expressed concern for her safety, while she welcomed his familiar warmth.

• Akame and Sheele stayed behind to protect Mine while Koizumi and Chelsea set out for the Imperial Capital.
• Chelsea transformed into a bird and rode on Koizumi’s shoulder as he flew over the city and searched for the Imperial Guard base.
• Koizumi told Chelsea he planned to take Seryu Ubiquitous away because he did not want to become her enemy or leave her in the Imperial Capital.
• Koizumi entered the base and greeted Seryu, while Chelsea slipped outside to keep watch.
• Seryu was startled to see Koizumi, then felt relieved as he explained that he had returned because he was worried about her.

Koizumi persuaded Seryu to trust her own judgment and led her to the Reias residence to show her the Empire’s hidden evil. After Chelsea slipped inside to deal with the guards, Koizumi and Seryu waited outside in the dark, leaving Seryu unsure what they would find.

• Seryu told Koizumi she did not consider him evil and would not arrest him solely because he was wanted.
• Koizumi reasoned that General Bude’s pursuit of him, Reimu, and Hata no Kokoro might have a hidden cause, then warned Seryu about the Imperial Guard patrols.
• Koizumi took Seryu through the streets to the Reias residence and said he would show her the Empire’s true darkness.
• Chelsea transformed into a fly and entered the residence to clear out guards while Koizumi and Seryu hid in nearby grass.
• Seryu watched the dark residence and shivered in the cold as she waited to see what Koizumi meant.

Koizumi brought Seryu into Reias's mansion to show her evidence of the nobles' crimes, while Chelsea secretly killed the guards and kept watch outside. After reading Reias's diary, Seryu's faith in the nobles collapsed, and she asked Koizumi whether he belonged to Night Raid.

• Koizumi explained that he and Seryu needed an opportunity to enter the mansion without drawing suspicion, then revealed that the kitten following him was Chelsea using Transformation Free: Gaia Foundation.
• Chelsea poisoned the guards, hid their bodies, and transformed into a kitten to watch the estate while Koizumi led Seryu inside.
• Koizumi found Reias's diary in his room and handed it to Seryu, who read its account of the nobles' oppression of outsiders.
• Seryu realized that the nobles she had protected were evil, questioned the justice she had upheld, and felt her worldview collapse.
• Seryu calmed herself and asked Koizumi whether he was with Night Raid.

Koizumi revealed that he belonged to Night Raid and challenged Seryu's understanding of justice while killing the Reias family. Seryu abandoned the Imperial Guard and chose to leave with Koizumi and Chelsea, but they faced difficulty getting her out of the Imperial Capital undetected.

• Koizumi told Seryu he had joined Night Raid after leaving the Imperial Capital and showed her the diaries exposing the Reias family.
• Koizumi killed everyone at the Reias estate while Seryu watched, troubled by her own sense of satisfaction.
• Koizumi questioned Seryu about whether justice meant obeying the Empire or following her conscience, and she concluded that justice meant acting in a way she could live with.
• Seryu decided to leave the Imperial Guard and wanted to work alongside Reimu rather than remain behind as a spy.
• Koizumi, Chelsea, and Seryu considered how to escape the Imperial Capital without being spotted by patrolling Imperial Guard members.