A World-Destroying Beast roared at the heavens as dozens of hurricanes gradually formed around it. The beast advanced slowly, the hurricanes raging ceaselessly across a hundred li around it.
Another, ox-shaped World-Destroying Beast was even more terrifying. A thundercloud followed it, bolts of heavenly lightning striking down one after another. If an ordinary person took a hit, they would probably go straight to meet the Buddha.
The other World-Destroying Beasts were much the same. Some used area attacks, while others attacked single targets. Honestly, those with area attacks merely had greater destructive power; the single-target attackers were the truly formidable ones.
Lin Ran pointed Akame in a direction, and the sisters sped ahead.
Half a month later, in a dilapidated village, two little girls watched in despair as the Danger Beast that had slaughtered their entire village slowly approached. The older sister trembled and covered her younger sister's eyes, hoping to protect her in the final moment of their lives.
Sharp claws came at them, and the older sister closed her eyes in despair. Time seemed to freeze at that moment. A dark figure flashed past, her golden-red eyes betraying not the slightest ripple.
The sisters opened their eyes in confusion and found the Danger Beast before them standing motionless. A dark figure came chasing after the first, panting for breath. It was Kurome, carrying a strange black blade. This black blade was a fusion of the Blade of Devouring and the Teigu March of the Dead: Yatsufusa, which Lin Ran had named Dragon Abyss. Although it was not as powerful as Divine Abyss, the System's modifications had made it considerably stronger than an ordinary Blade of Devouring.
"Big sis! Slow down!" Kurome shouted breathlessly.
Only after Kurome had also run past the Danger Beast did several bloody lines appear across its enormous body, which then fell into a heap of severed limbs.
"Almost there!" Akame murmured. She could sense an immensely powerful force within Divine Abyss about to awaken.
Three days later, the sisters plunged into a large town. It was like purgatory now, with one Super Danger Beast and three Special Class Danger Beasts wreaking havoc throughout the town.
Over ten thousand city guards had been routed, but one person kept getting knocked flying by the Super Danger Beast, then charging back at it. Clearly, he was a Teigu user too! Unfortunately, only a handful of Teigu users could contend with a Super Danger Beast. This Teigu user was no match for it and could only hold it in check.
Akame leaped up and smashed a fist into the Super Danger Beast's neck, punching a bloody hole straight through it. With a beckoning gesture, Divine Abyss instantly appeared in her hand. A sword beam a hundred zhang long cleaved out, splitting the Super Danger Beast in two.
After a short wait, Kurome finished off the three Special Class Danger Beasts as well and came over.
"Huh? Big sis, this kid's a Teigu user too?"
"What do you want?" the boy before them asked, his voice lacking confidence.
"Nothing. Kid, where did you get your Teigu?"
"My father gave it to me."
"Where's your father?"
"He's dead."
"Killed by a Danger Beast?"
The boy nodded. Akame sighed helplessly, said nothing more, and walked away.
"Big sis, aren't you going to kill me?"
"Why would I kill you?"
"Father said that between Teigu users, only one can survive."
"There's some truth to what your father said, but how you use your Teigu is entirely up to you. Whether you kill other Teigu users is your own decision too."
The two girls accelerated and raced off into the distance, leaving the boy alone, staring blankly at their retreating figures.
That night, while the girls were resting, Akame abruptly opened her eyes. A Super Danger Beast was heading toward them.
Akame wasted no time. She woke Kurome and sped toward the Danger Beast.
Only when they got closer did they discover that the Danger Beast was pursuing a group of Revolutionary Army soldiers! Akame leaped over the soldiers and charged straight at the Danger Beast.
She ended the battle with a single slash. The devouring power swept up all the strange origin power and surged into Divine Abyss's blade. Divine Abyss immediately blazed with light. Delight appeared on Akame's face, and she released Divine Abyss, letting it turn into a streak of light and shoot into the clouds.
Within just a few breaths, tribulation lightning rolled across the sky. A little over ten minutes later, a purplish-black divine sword plummeted down. Akame caught the incoming Divine Abyss and examined its drastically altered appearance.
A pure black pattern ran down the center of the blade. On one side of the pattern, the blade was golden-red; on the other, it was purplish-black. It looked as though it had been carved from a special crystal.
An enormous surge of energy fed back from the blade into Akame, causing her strength to skyrocket once again.
[The locations of the World-Destroying Beasts have been pinpointed for the host!]
Along with the System's voice, a map appeared in Lin Ran's mind, with ten small points of light moving slowly across it. Lin Ran noticed that these World-Destroying Beasts prioritized densely populated towns and cities. The imperial capital, for instance, had attracted one of them.
"Let's head back to base first. A World-Destroying Beast is heading that way. We can take the opportunity to go back and see how the Empire and Night Raid deal with it."
Akame nodded and headed back the way they had come with Kurome. On the way, Akame voiced her confusion.
"Divine Abyss, what did you mean by the second half of what you just said?"
"Tongtong, when you joined Night Raid and became part of the Revolutionary Army, do you still remember what they promised?"
"Of course. They wanted to build a country centered on its people, a country without discrimination, oppression, or slaughter."
"Yes, but do you think a country like that exists? What if the country the Revolutionary Army builds is just another version of the Empire? Would you still be willing to fight for the Revolutionary Army?"
Just as Lin Ran had hoped, Akame shook her head without even thinking.
"Establishing a relatively fair country is actually quite simple: centralize power. Concentrate all authority in the hands of a small group of people. As long as no disputes arise among them, naturally, there won't be any major trouble below. What sort of people do you think would be suited to that group?"
"Teigu users? No, no, Teigu users fight among themselves constantly." Akame quickly rejected her own idea.
"No, Teigu users are exactly right. A group of people with tremendous power. Only if they are willing to submit wholeheartedly can they use the power of their Teigu to rule over more people."
"But Teigu users kill one another. What can we do about that?"
"It might not have worked before, but now that you're here, subduing all the Teigu users has become a viable plan. When your strength is only a little greater than theirs, they won't accept you. Once your strength is absolutely invincible, they will never again entertain the thought of resisting you. Killing a World-Destroying Beast is the perfect opportunity for you to establish your might."
"Once you control the most powerful force in this world, the Empire's fate will be yours to decide."
"I understand! Divine Abyss, thank you!"
"You're welcome. It's been a long time since I examined your body. Once we get back, I'll have to give you a very thorough examination!"
"Pervert! You big jerk!" Akame's little face turned scarlet. Fortunately, Kurome couldn't run as fast as her and couldn't see her embarrassment.
By evening, to accommodate Kurome, that little weakling, Akame had no choice but to stop and rest for a while. After Akame fell asleep, Lin Ran transferred over to Sheele again and chatted with her for a bit. Sheele was delighted to learn that Akame and Kurome would soon be back.
After Sheele fell asleep too, Lin Ran returned to Divine Abyss, bored out of his mind, and began sleeping soundly.