Chapter 144: Who Is the Prey, Who Is the Hunter
"Hmm... Our next target is the head of the Imperial Assassination Unit? That's quite a big fish—big enough to choke us."
On the rugged mountain path, the speaker was a lively girl with long orange hair, wearing a plaid miniskirt and a black blouse.
Casually wearing headphones and sucking on a lollipop, she muttered quietly to herself.
"Is the information reliable? Could it be a trap? Why would someone of such high status leave the Imperial City and come all the way to this remote border area?"
"Stop chattering, Chelsea. This is classified intel from within the Revolutionary Army—it's absolutely reliable. Let's get moving."
Under the moonlight, an elderly woman spoke in a hoarse voice. Standing beside her was a girl whose very presence sent chills down one's spine.
Clad in a long robe and holding a longsword, the girl's face showed no emotion, her expression unreadable. But Chelsea knew just how terrifying this girl was.
Trained since childhood by her master, a prominent figure in Oarburgh, she was hailed as the most skilled killer of her generation.
"Understood, Instructor."
Chelsea lazily replied, pulling the lollipop out of her mouth without caring about the suggestive silver strands still attached to it. Without another glance at her icy senior, she hurried to catch up with the other two.
What Chelsea hadn't expected was that this mountain trek would last for days!
The sky gradually lightened to the pale glow of dawn. The three of them had walked through the night into day, then from day back into night, repeating the cycle over and over.
Once full of energy, Chelsea was now so exhausted she could barely speak. Panting with her tongue out like a puppy, she trailed behind the other two.
"I'm... sorry, I can hardly walk anymore, Instructor."
"Is that so? Endure it."
The hunched old woman, who looked as if she might stumble at any moment, didn't even turn her head, coldly tossing out those few words.
"Have you forgotten how far we've walked today?" Chelsea grumbled resentfully.
"Don't take me for a fool. I still remember you saying a week ago during dinner, 'All because Instructor only eats hamburgers.'"
What a grudge-holding old lady...
Chelsea made a face full of regret, complaining inwardly.
"...I'll carry you."
The tall, cold beauty—who stood nearly as tall as Cornelia—moved closer and hoisted Chelsea onto her back.
Unlike Cornelia's golden hair, her waist-length black hair was tied into a ponytail at the back. Her attire and clothing somewhat resembled that of a Japanese kunoichi.
"Wow! Taeko, you're the best!" Chelsea immediately cheered with delight.
"Don't spoil her too much, Taeko."
Observing her two disciples, the old woman couldn't help but scold them. "Back in my day, when I was a beautiful young maiden..."
Lying on Taeko's back, Chelsea sighed inwardly and muttered under her breath, "Here we go again. The lecture has turned into self-praise!"
If we don't quickly change the subject, who knows how long this will go on!
Chelsea's eyes darted around before she spoke up:
"Hey! This mission is about assassinating the Empire's secret unit, right? Are we luring them out?"
"As the financial source for the rebels—cooperating in trade with foreign tribes, they should have received that fabricated intelligence by now."
The old woman, interrupted from her reminiscence, showed no anger and merely smiled faintly as she turned to look at her two disciples.
"I see, so we'll pose as merchants transporting goods during the trade to ambush them..."
As Chelsea spoke, she noticed something that caught her attention.
"Hmm... Instructor, look, it seems we've reached our destination."
Pointing at a ribbon hanging from a nearby tree branch, Chelsea said this.
With just the three of them, they naturally wouldn't be so arrogant as to take on the Empire's assassination squad alone, and the Revolutionary Army wasn't comfortable with that either. So, they had already contacted a mercenary group, and the mark just now was the means of communication.
Following the direction indicated by the marker, they entered the forest, where a group of oddly dressed mercenaries was already waiting for them.
"Hey, hey... Are we teaming up with these little girls? Are these the elites of the assassin syndicate?"
The scarred man at the front smirked disdainfully at Taeko and Chelsea.
"Or are they elites skilled in bed tricks? I'd really like to test that out."
Ugh... Such typical cannon fodder dialogue. Are these guys not afraid to die?
Chelsea looked at the group of mercenaries with pity.
"But what about you, old granny? Are you from the kitchen squad?" After teasing Chelsea and Taeko, the scarred man turned to the hunched old woman and asked with a laugh.
"Who are you calling old granny? My name is Babara." A sinister smile curled at the corners of her lips as the old woman slowly introduced herself.
"Wait... Babara? Could it be... Babara Oarburgh?"
"From Oarburgh..."
Hearing the old woman's name, the mercenaries immediately grew flustered.
"Hmm... It's Oarburgh's turn to give an opinion. Should we kill someone to prove it?" The old woman said this, radiating an incredibly terrifying killing intent.
"N-No need, this killing intent is enough... Sorry. I never thought we'd meet the real person." The scarred man apologized with an ingratiating laugh, and Babara snorted coldly before pointing at Taeko standing behind her.
"That's Taeko over there. An assassin I've trained since she was a baby. It's fine to provoke me, but don't mess with her casually."
The captain followed Babara's pointing finger and looked over. When he focused on the girl again, he couldn't help but swallow hard—her killing intent was no less intense than the old woman's before him.
This time, they had truly picked a fight with the wrong people.
And a prickly one at that!
As the captain was thinking this, a lively young girl's voice rang out again.
"Hello everyone, I'm Chelsea, trained as a disciple by that old lady over there!"
This cheerful greeting instantly lightened the oppressive atmosphere created by Babara and Taeko.
"Chelsea, you brat, calling me an old lady again!"
Only then did the squad leader notice this easily overlooked girl.
Outwardly appearing careless and straightforward, she stood in stark contrast to the sharp-edged Babara and Taeko. Not a trace of killing intent could be sensed from this girl, making her seem completely ordinary.
But the squad leader understood—precisely because of this, the girl was even more terrifying!
After Babara and the others finished their self-introductions, the scar-faced squad leader cleared his throat to introduce himself.
"We are your support team, we are..."
"Judging by your attire, you should be the Tengu Party from the mercenary corps, right?"
Babara interrupted the man's words.
"Yes, besides us, even the legendary Oarburgh has been invited... It seems our enemies' luck is truly terrible this time."
"Bad luck... I don't see it that way... We mustn't let our guard down."
Looking up at the clear sky, Babara spoke meaningfully.
The Minister of the Imperial Assassination Unit who also served as the Chief of the Imperial City Guard—not only holding two positions simultaneously, but reportedly the youngest bureaucrat in history.
Moreover, rumors said his strength was extraordinary, capable of defeating even General Esdeath who struck fear into the hearts of foreign tribes, and single-handedly eliminating nearly a thousand cavalry with one strike.
Such a formidable figure was clearly not simple...
"Lord Yotsuba, the White Wave River is just ahead."
Nahashu, riding ahead as scout, turned to report the situation to Mahiro.
Flowing from the western to northern parts of the empire, this river spanned over hundreds of kilometers. The rebel forces seeking cooperation with northwestern foreign tribes would inevitably cross the White Wave River!
The intelligence Mahiro received stated they needed to intercept the rebels' financial source—trade cooperation with foreign tribes.
Though he couldn't remember all the plot details, such intelligence was clearly problematic.
If this was truly a financial source, it would definitely be the Revolutionary Army's top priority—how could it be casually exposed?
Mahiro believed this was most likely a trap, probably specifically set for them, waiting for them to take the bait.
But that was fine.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Who would be the prey and who would be the hunter remained to be seen.
Thinking this, a peculiar smile slowly curved at the corner of Mahiro's lips.
Meanwhile, the others perked up at Nahashu's report.
Especially Gin, who stretched her snow-white neck to gaze at the hundreds-meter-wide river ahead, as if she could hear the continuous murmuring of flowing water.
"According to intelligence, the targets will begin crossing around six or seven tonight, Lord Yotsuba. We have ample time to prepare," Cornelia said happily.
"Mm, that's a good suggestion. Let's take a brief rest here then."
"Yay!"
Everyone cheered in unison. As usual, Nahashu found a secluded spot under a tree's shade and began reading a book.
Apart from training and killing, reading seemed to be Nahashu's only interest.
Meanwhile, Poney cheered excitedly.
"Ooh, Lord Yotsuba, can we go catch fish in the river?!"
Just as she asked, Akame had already changed into the swimsuit she would wear after crossing the river to soak in the hot springs, and directly jumped into the river.
The cool river water brought a refreshing chill to the girl, her jet-black long hair getting soaked in the clear water.
When she stood up from the river, droplets traced winding paths down Akame's body.
The girl's skin wasn't particularly pale, but long-term training had given her complexion a healthy, rosy glow. Her well-trained body appeared remarkably elastic, concealing astonishing explosive power within.
Water droplets rolled down Akame's chest. Her figure was full and well-proportioned, with contours forming smooth curves that blended softness with sensuality.
Though Akame's development wasn't the most outstanding among the girls, her chest was still quite perky and full, like perfect semicircles resting on her chest. Her waist was slender yet powerful, with slight abdominal lines extending downward from her waistline.
Her firm, rounded buttocks were incredibly elastic, supported by a pair of long, sturdy legs slightly apart.
Through years of refinement, not only was her face exquisitely beautiful, but her entire body was also very graceful, still carrying a hint of youthful innocence and healthy vitality. Long-term training hadn't just increased her combat ability—it had also given her a figure brimming with healthy energy.
At least in Mahiro's eyes, it was quite pleasing to look at.
"Ah, Akame! How dare you sneak ahead, wait for me!"
Poney quickly followed.
"I'm coming too!"
"Me too!"
Kurome and Gin also joined in.
Only Cornelia and Tsukushi remained by his side.
No wonder they were so excited. Ever since completing their stealth training, Mahiro hadn't taken them river fishing again.
To Mahiro, this might have been an insignificant matter, but to them, it truly belonged among their most precious memories.
In no time, the several girls had each caught large amounts of fish and dragged them back to the riverbank.
"Hmph, Akame and Kurome, which of you will lend me your sword? Let me show you the peerless blade technique I cultivated in the kitchen!"
Poney placed her hands on her hips, looking quite proud.
"No."
"Not lending."
Akame and Kurome simultaneously gave dead-fish eyes and directly refused Poney's request.
This completely deflated Poney's enthusiasm.
"Wh-why not?!"
"Because it will get fishy, and it's hard to clean off," Akame explained. Kurome nodded in agreement, "Mhm, big sister is right. Kiriichimonji was my graduation gift from Lord Yotsuba—I can't use it for something like this."
"Aw, come on, how could you..."
Poney widened her eyes, but unfortunately no one spoke up for her, making her puff out her cheeks pitifully toward Mahiro in hopes of getting help.
But unfortunately, Mahiro only responded with a faint smile.
Well, the plan to demonstrate peerless blade technique was completely ruined...
After dinner was cheerfully concluded, Cornelia and Poney began sparring to warm up.
Taking this opportunity, Mahiro purchased a large ship from a nearby town.
"Hey~ gather up, we're setting off!"
Hearing Mahiro's call, everyone immediately ran to the riverbank, but upon seeing the large ship docked by the shore, they couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"It's so huge..."
Measuring a hundred meters in length, its deck stood about two stories high.
He had bought it from a kind noble in a nearby town, reportedly a vessel the aristocrat used for river excursions.
"Lord Yotsuba, are we really crossing the river on this ship? Aren't we waiting for the rebels?" Cornelia couldn't help asking.
"Well, it's already past seven o'clock. Do you think they'll still show up?"
"Huh? Then you mean..."
"Simple. The intelligence from the Imperial City was flawed. They're probably waiting for us to lose patience and cross the river so they can catch us off guard. So why don't we fish with a straight hook?"
His words left everyone somewhat confused, especially the slow-witted Poney, whose brain had completely short-circuited.
But Mahiro didn't expect them to understand anyway, directly ushering them onto the large ship.
After all, this was ultimately a game of strategy—it all came down to who played the better hand.
Truth be told, it was quite interesting. He wanted to see exactly how the enemy would appear.
However, shortly after they boarded the ship and began drifting on the river, night fell.
The blood-red twilight cast by the crimson sunset gradually dimmed.
In the gathering darkness, from the opposite bank of the White Wave River, a fleet emerged consisting of two large cargo ships and several smaller vessels!
"Just as Lord Yotsuba predicted..."
Cornelia watched the approaching ships with a grave expression—everything about them felt hostile, and they were heading straight toward them!
Though not all vessels were directed at them. At the rear of the fleet, a small boat moved slowly forward.
Aboard were two young women and an old lady—precisely Babara and her two disciples from Oarburgh!
"Chelsea, scout ahead."
"OK!"
Several makeup tools appeared between her slender fingers, and in the blink of an eye, Chelsea transformed from human form into a goshawk, soaring into the night sky!
Phantasmagoria: Gaea Foundation—the most unique cosmetic Teigu among all Teigus. While possessing no direct combat capabilities, it allowed the user to transform into anything according to their will.
It was precisely this special Teigu that enabled Chelsea to successfully join Oarburgh as an assassin.
The reason these three followed at the rear in this small boat was mainly to let the Sky Goblin Party members test the waters, to see exactly what capabilities this legendary young man from the Imperial Assassination Unit possessed.
Meanwhile, the vanguard of the Sky Goblin Party had already made direct contact with Mahiro's ship.
"Haha, Imperial assassination troops! You've fallen into our trap!" A man with a red headband wrapped around his forehead laughed heartily at everyone on the opposite ship.
By now, their vessels had completely surrounded Mahiro's ship.
The rebels had all gathered on the deck, roughly estimated to be over a hundred people, and each of them was holding a firearm!
"Oh my, there are a few little beauties. Looks like we'll have some fun tonight."
The second-in-command beside him leered lustfully at Akame and the other five girls.
"What a disgusting bunch," Cornelia said with disgust, and the other girls nodded in agreement.
"They're just a bunch of small fries. Let's just take action directly."
Nahashu spoke expressionlessly.
In the very next second, under the watchful eyes of the opponents, Nahashu's figure actually vanished!
"Wha..."
As a chilling gust of wind swept by, the captain, who had just uttered that one word, didn't even have time to turn around before feeling a sharp pain in his neck. His consciousness was then swallowed by endless darkness.
After the leading captain fell, Nahashu stood up from the deck.
Casually flicking the blood off his blade, his long coat fluttered in the river breeze. He slowly turned his head to look at the six girls on the ship and said coldly:
"Follow me. Take them out."