Minister Honest, in the eyes of the members of the Night Raid, was nothing more than a scoundrel who abused his power and flaunted his authority in the name of the young emperor.
Although Najenda believed that the old man's Teigu Crown must have some peculiar function, if an assassination attempt were to be carried out, he would definitely be the first target.
Compared to the battle-hardened Esdeath and the burly and experienced Budo, he seemed far weaker.
However, the scene of Tatsumi's Red-Backed Shrike stabbing Honestste in the neck without causing any reaction stunned everyone present.
They preferred to believe that Tatsumi had betrayed them and couldn't bring himself to kill him, rather than believe that Honest's body was that powerful.
Hehehe... hehehehe...
Honest let out a maniacal, grotesque laugh.
"Although I don't understand how Lin Feng did it, those red eyes... was that foreign Teigu my son found...?"
"None of that matters! Since you've all had the audacity to come here to die, I'll just wipe you all out in one fell swoop!"
"Catch them all in one fell swoop? You old fox, what a boastful tone!"
Leone landed on all fours, a wild power surging from her body.
This feeling is completely different from the previous ' Lionelle ' enhancement. Because of the Bloodsucking power, Leone's speed and strength are now several times stronger than before.
She was absolutely confident that she could tear Honest to shreds in an instant.
Leone stomped her feet hard, sending a burst of flames shooting into the sky as her heels rubbed together, while at the same time her claws were already reaching for Honest's face.
"Prepare to die!"
"Clang--!"
"--?!"
That's the buzzing sound that comes when blades clash.
Leone looked at Honest in surprise, even thinking that some swordsman was secretly protecting him.
But when he came to his senses and looked closely, there was no doubt that Honest was the only person in front of him.
With just a flick of his thick fingernails, he unleashed the same power as a sword or claw strike.
"What an amazing little girl... she actually ate one of my claws and her bones weren't even crushed!"
Everyone stared at Honest in disbelief, realizing that this man's physical combat abilities were terrifyingly high.
Honest grinned wickedly, reached into his robes and swallowed two strange round pieces, then confronted the Night Raid members with a lewd expression.
"That's a drug listed as the Empire's number one prohibited item..."
Akame said with a hint of worry at the gate.
"That was originally Teigu with powerful side effects, capable of greatly enhancing human athleticism and combat abilities..."
"However, it is extracted from the blood of an extremely Danger Beasts, and the toxins within it... will cause one's meridians to rupture and die within two hours of contact."
"Doesn't that mean Honest is about to die?"
Mine exclaimed in shock, but Akame's expression remained unfazed.
"Judging from his reaction... it doesn't seem like a side effect of the medication at all, and it's likely... he ingested far more than we expected..."
"You brats, do you know why the defenses of the Imperial Palace in the Imperial Capital are so weak?!"
"That way, it'll be easier for you guys, who are normally impossible to catch, to obediently walk into the trap and come to your deaths!"
Honest laughed wildly, unleashing an astonishing black battle aura. The ferocious power within it instantly made the members of ' Night Raid ' gasp in shock.
"Everyone, don't panic, stay calm and collected."
Najenda held a spear horizontally across her right hand in front of the Night Raid members, giving them a commanding air. Seryu, standing behind her, also sensed the general's leadership qualities and couldn't help but want to follow her lead.
"It seems Honest is no ordinary person, but the power of Bloodsucking is no joke either."
"Start setting up the formation immediately!"
"Yes!"
Seryu and Mine sprinted to a corner of the council chamber, while Tatsumi, behind Honest, instantly went into stealth mode.
Lubbock began to run swiftly, pulling on the threads. Najenda and Susanoo blocked the entrance to the council chamber, while Leone and Akame stood guard at the windowsill, ready to approach Honest at any moment.
"Interesting... Let's play!"
"What's all this commotion? It's so noisy..."
General Budo heard a series of loud noises in his office area, followed by a strange golden light appearing outside the window.
Although it is early morning and there is indeed a glimmer of gold when the sun is high in the sky, this dazzling golden hue is truly unusual.
Has such a scene ever been seen in the Imperial Capital...?
After changing into his familiar military uniform, General Budo looked out the window. In the boundless golden expanse, Budo seemed to see something peculiar.
It was a white divine phoenix... no, it was a creature that resembled an angel, and its outline seemed to be like this.
On his back were a pair of broad, pure white wings, each feather shimmering with golden light in the intense golden glow.
Against the golden backdrop of the sky, these layers of white appeared so faintly, so elusive.
Suddenly, the two white wings unfurled, drawing two silver arcs amidst the golden light.
Lan floated in the sky, facing the large floor-to-ceiling window, her brows furrowed, and her eyes suddenly turned fierce.
"Target locked... Thousand-Mile Flight - Mostima!"
In an instant, tens of thousands of arrow-like feathers rained down on the French windows.
The hardened glass shattered suddenly, countless shards scattering at the foot of the royal city and inside the rooms. Flying glass cut through every inch of silk fabric, and long, thin cracks appeared on the floor of the council chamber.
"Was it an ambush...?"
General Budo crouched in the corner of his office area, taking off the military robe he had just put on, revealing the rock-hard armor underneath.
"If it weren't for my ' Adramelech ' sensory abilities, I probably would be injured by now."
No one expected that this 'angel' would launch such a surprise attack, and that its speed and destructive power would be so astonishing.
General Budo let out a breath and quietly awaited the enemy's next move.
"Looks like it didn't hit? Well then..."
Lan flapped its enormous wings, and the powerful thrust stirred up the air, creating a small vortex.
Using this acceleration, Lan sped toward the completely shattered window, and as she entered, she tightened her right wing as fast as she could.
"They'll just hide here, won't they!"
As it glided into the corner, Lan released a large number of sharp feathers.
At that speed, anyone would be riddled with bullets.