[Main Quest: First Phase]
[Current Public Security Rating: 67 (Average)]
Maintaining public order had proven far more difficult than Uesugi Ryu had expected. The security rating was increasing very slowly.
But that was only natural.
At present, the Jaegers were maintaining order through sheer force.
Most of the nearby Danger Beasts had already been cleared out, and the criminals within the Imperial Capital had been intimidated into lying low.
However, the root of the chaos still remained.
For now, it was merely being suppressed by the Jaegers.
One thing worth mentioning.
After beating Syura half to death, the public security rating had immediately increased by four points.
Uesugi Ryu lightly rubbed the dragon-shaped ring on his finger.
"Once I kill Syura, I wonder how much it'll increase."
The substantial rise was not simply because Syura himself was a piece of trash.
It was likely also related to Wild Hunt, the organization under his command.
Syura was Wild Hunt's leader.
Now that he was bedridden with severe injuries, without his protection and leadership, Izou and Enshin had naturally behaved themselves and refrained from causing havoc in the Imperial Capital.
Wild Hunt existed purely to indulge its members' desires.
That was precisely why such a collection of monsters had gathered under Syura.
In the original story, Bols's wife and daughter had been brutally murdered by Wild Hunt.
At this point, two days had passed since Uesugi Ryu's transaction with Tatsumi, and four days had passed since he had beaten Syura.
"I can't delay any longer. In another two days, Eunuch Xi will have fully recovered."
A cold killing intent flashed in Uesugi Ryu's eyes.
"Within three days, I have to get my hands on Shambhala."
Against a spatial-type Teigu, seizing it head-on would be quite difficult.
Missing the grab and getting teleported to some miserable corner of the world would be a real problem.
With Syura still seriously injured, infiltrating, assassinating him, and taking his Teigu was the perfect opportunity.
"Assassination. It's been a long time."
Uesugi Ryu looked rather nostalgic.
Although Phantom Clone was a superb assassination ability, his actual assassination experience was almost nonexistent.
At the very beginning, he had only used clones to lure out a few ghouls.
After that, his style had almost always been straightforward overwhelming force.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
After receiving permission, Seryu entered while carrying Koro.
"Good evening, Mr. Uesugi."
Uesugi Ryu nodded and set aside the documents in his hand.
"Ah, Seryu. What is it?"
Seryu quickly reported the discovery made outside the city and relayed Esdeath's summons.
"They found one of Night Raid's bases in the outskirts?"
After their previous base had been exposed by Uesugi Ryu, Night Raid had immediately relocated.
The discovered base had long since been abandoned.
Now, it seemed to have been left behind deliberately as bait for the Jaegers.
No matter how one looked at it, Night Raid was preparing to make a major move.
Uesugi Ryu frowned slightly.
Now that they were moving, he could only hope it would not interfere with his plan to seize Shambhala.
....
High above the ground, a massive ray-like Danger Beast, Air Manta, carried several people through the sky.
Chelsea turned to look at Tatsumi, who had seemed distracted for the past few days.
"Tatsumi, what are you thinking about?"
Tatsumi immediately snapped out of it and shook his head.
"Ah, it's nothing."
Sheele held a book in her hands.
Its title was plainly visible.
Thirty-Six Effective Ways to Improve Airheadedness!
She looked up and nodded thoughtfully.
"Tatsumi really has seemed different since he handled that transaction."
Leone sat cross-legged on Air Manta's back.
She grinned mischievously.
"Everyone can tell. Stop looking like some gloomy teenage boy."
"Tell your big sister about it. I might even have some advice for you."
With everyone's eyes now on him, Tatsumi sighed softly.
"The matter of ceding western territory... I just don't feel good about it."
"Sacrificing the interests of a small group for the peace of the entire nation does seem reasonable from a broader perspective."
"But now that the Minister no longer completely controls everything, is changing the Empire from within really impossible?"
Chelsea shared the same doubts.
For a moment, she did not know what to say.
As for Leone and Sheele.
Leone simply did not care about politics.
And Sheele's brain was not exactly built for discussions on national policy.
In her eyes, there were only comrades and evil people who needed to be eliminated.
The wind whipped Najenda's suit loudly.
She glanced at Tatsumi and said solemnly,
"The Empire has already reached the end of its life. Forcing it to continue serves no purpose."
"Can you guarantee that another man like Honest would never appear again?"
"The Revolutionary Army does not merely intend to overthrow the Empire."
"We intend to build a new system, one that prevents this from ever happening again."
Tatsumi fell into thought.
After a long while, a relieved smile appeared on his face, and his eyes gradually regained their determination.
"I understand. At the very least, the villains before us must be eliminated."
Najenda smiled knowingly.
"Tatsumi, Uesugi Ryu said something to you, didn't he?"
Tatsumi nodded and briefly recounted their conversation.
Najenda stared at the clouds rushing past.
"That man is utterly ambitious. He gives me much the same feeling as Esdeath."
"Esdeath is a witch who craves war."
"Uesugi Ryu is a wolf whose hunger can never be satisfied."
"They are both dangerous people. Tatsumi, do not let him mislead you."
Tatsumi broke into a bright smile.
"Thanks, everyone."
Then he suddenly slumped like a deflated balloon.
"I thought I might actually persuade him, but instead, he completely turned the tables on me."
That idea had been rather naive.
Leone burst out laughing.
As she laughed, she pounded Tatsumi on the back.
"Kid, you really are naive."
"So that's why you volunteered for the trade. Hilarious."
Tatsumi staggered from the force, looking utterly dejected.
Sheele gently pushed up her slipping glasses.
Watching everyone laugh so happily, a warm smile spread across her face.
A cheerful atmosphere filled the group.
Chelsea, however, looked toward Najenda.
A trace of concern was visible on her face.
"Uesugi Ryu has already shown interest in Demon Armor."
"Is it really safe to leave Bulat and the others in the Imperial Capital?"
Najenda raised one hand and clenched it into a fist.
Turning to face everyone, she declared loudly,
"Which is exactly why we must act quickly."
"Once we reach Jellock, we will spread the news. The Jaegers will quickly realize our true objective."
"We'll force them to divide their forces as well."
In the eastern region of the Empire stood a religious organization known as the Path of Peace, which had grown into a powerful force.
With the Imperial Capital consumed by internal conflict, the Revolutionary Army had decided to take advantage of the opportunity and win the Path of Peace to their side.
Bolic, the vice-leader, was a spy planted there by Honest.
To secure the Path of Peace, he had to be eliminated first.
Najenda's expression hardened.
"Our objective is to kill Bolic as quickly as possible. Timing will determine the success of this operation."
Then she turned to Chelsea.
"Chelsea, Akame should already have told you the basic information about the Four Rakshasa Demons."
"When the time comes, Susanoo will launch a frontal assault and draw them out."
"You will wait for your opportunity."
Chelsea nodded, tucking a few windblown strands of hair behind her ear.
"Understood."