In the blink of an eye, two years had passed, and much had changed.
First, the Empire was in a far better state than before.
Back then, Haruki had wiped out nearly the entire core and leadership of the allied forces in a single strike. Only a few scattered remnants remained across the Empire. Once news of their defeat spread, most of the remaining rebels surrendered with barely any resistance.
As promised, Najenda took over the role of Prime Minister. After witnessing the capital's devastation firsthand, the young Emperor began to take his duties seriously. With Najenda's guidance, the Empire gradually improved, moving in the direction she had envisioned.
Within just two years, the Imperial Capital had already returned to its pre-war prosperity.
Second, Haruki's true identity was fully revealed to the world.
That battle in the capital—when Haruki obliterated 200,000 coalition troops in a single move—left a scene so terrifying it was visible for over a hundred miles. The "Prison Dragon Break" had cast the skies in a deep crimson that lingered long after the dust had settled.
Even after the battle ended, a faint metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, drifting across the capital and beyond. That day came to be remembered not just as the Empire's rebirth, but also as "Blood Zero Day."
News of the man behind it—Haruki, the Empire's founder and creator of the Teigu—spread like wildfire. The people began to revere him as a divine being. Statues of Haruki appeared in households across the nation, and crowds gathered daily outside his estate in the capital to pay their respects.
Some claimed that worshipping his image brought health and longevity. When Haruki heard such talk, he didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. If anything, he saw himself more as a demon than a god.
What amused him even more was that statues of the women around him were also erected—labeled as "Holy Maidens," the ones who served the god.
Among them, Esdeath had the most statues, naturally. The resemblance between her and Haruki was uncanny. Were it not for their different genders, Haruki's more masculine aura, and their clearly different clothing, many might have mistaken them for the same person. Their long blue hair and tall figures only added to the confusion.
Still, even Haruki wouldn't have expected what followed. Because of his perceived divinity, many came to view the royal family as god's chosen emissaries. In time, this belief helped preserve the lineage of the young Emperor for generations. Aware of Haruki's existence, future emperors refrained from acting recklessly, and no one dared to scheme like the former ministers had.
...
Besides those two developments, another event of note was that Leone, Mine, and Sheele were also brought into Haruki's harem.
Unlike the others already by his side, Haruki took the three back with him right after the coalition was destroyed. But he had no interest in wasting time on slow, romantic development. In his mind, that could come later.
So what followed was essentially Haruki forcing himself on them. Though unwilling, none of the three were a match for him. Their resistance only stirred his interest more. With the others, there had never been any struggle—so that night, Haruki indulged himself completely.
Afterward, aside from Sheele, Mine and Leone remained defiant for a time. Haruki, however, didn't coddle them. He simply kept them confined within the estate, refusing to let them leave, and let them sulk as they pleased.
Eventually, seeing Haruki affectionately spend time with his other women day after day, the two could no longer hold out. Truthfully, they had long admired his strength. Despite their reluctance, they finally gave in.
...
One final matter: over the past two years, Haruki shared his blood with the women who had yet to receive it—not just to grant them immortality, but also to give them the strength to protect themselves.
Over the years, aside from Tsukushi, Pony, and the Meiki and Minai sisters—who had already consumed Haruki's blood long ago and remained petite girls around thirteen or fourteen—Chelsea and Cornelia, though only fourteen or fifteen at the time, looked more mature due to early development. The rest had since grown into beautiful young women.
Gin and Esdeath were the most mature among them. Not only were they the tallest, but their curves were striking, and with faces that could stop hearts, just looking at them felt dangerously tempting. Personality-wise, they were quite different—Gin was cold and aloof, only showing warmth toward Haruki, while Esdeath came across as outwardly passionate but was brutal to the core. Perhaps only Haruki and those closest to him were worthy of her genuine affection.
Kurome and Akame, the sister pair, looked nearly identical in both face and figure. They were slender and graceful, yet strong, with long, shapely legs that drew the eye.
Then there was Nina, with her waist-length golden hair and dangerously seductive figure—a living dream for countless men.
Not long ago, Seryu too had been brought into Haruki's fold. Now, Haruki was truly surrounded by women, the envy of many.
"Brother, are you saying you're going to another world for a while?" Chelsea asked, surprised.
Haruki had already explained the existence of other worlds to them. With that understanding, he now planned to set off—since defeating the coalition forces, he'd found little left to do in this world. Boredom had begun to set in.
"What about us? Aren't you taking us with you?"
Chelsea pointed to herself with a hint of worry in her voice.
"Silly girl, of course I wouldn't leave you behind," Haruki said, gently patting her head. "But this time, I have no idea where I'll end up. If it's dangerous, I need to check it out first. Once it's safe, I'll bring you all there."
Seeing the concern on Chelsea's face—and on the others nearby—Haruki reassured them with a calm smile.
"Hey, Haruki, don't forget to take me too. I bet the other worlds have lots of powerful fighters!"
Esdeath, unsurprisingly, looked thrilled at the prospect. Haruki and the others couldn't help but roll their eyes at her ever-burning thirst for battle.
"Before I go, I've made some preparations," Haruki said. "I've moved this mansion to a hidden space that no one will ever find. Time doesn't flow there, so no one will age or die. If you ever need to leave, just use the rings I gave you to return to The Empire. I call the place Time Island."
"It's massive—far bigger than the Empire itself. There's plenty of food, and I've arranged for the maids to stay and look after you all. You won't have anything to worry about."
The women didn't seem surprised. Haruki had often taken out strange things over the years, so they'd gotten used to it. Time Island was just another oddity to add to the list.
Of course, Haruki's explanation had glossed over the details. Time Island wasn't a natural place—it was a magical artifact he had exchanged for using an enormous number of points from the System. Not only could it store the world Haruki currently inhabited, but it had an expansive internal space—what he called Time Island.
He had set coordinates that allowed those living on Time Island to travel to any world stored within the artifact. For now, since he only had the Akame ga Kill world, that was the only destination available.
Naturally, such a powerful item didn't come cheap. On top of all the points Haruki had previously saved, it also cost everything he'd earned from killing 200,000 enemies. In other words, he was broke. But ensuring the safety of his women—and his loyal subordinates like D1, Fashion, and Dorothea—was worth the price. He wasn't about to leave them behind. They were valuable allies for the future.
No one else knew that within Haruki's soul sea, a massive tower now floated, rising and falling slowly. Inside it, a small planet quietly spun—it was the world of Akame ga Kill. At the tower's peak, a dim, hazy glow concealed a presence—that was Time Island.
Indeed, the tower was the magical artifact Haruki had exchanged for.
Though it had cost him dearly, Haruki was satisfied. He could now carry his world and companions with him wherever he went, no longer fearing being separated from them. He had become the true master of that world. And as the System had said, the Tower of Worlds could hold countless realms. As long as he wished, Haruki could store every world he visited inside it.
...
A few days later, everything was ready.
"System—begin transmigration. Hopefully, I won't end up in some dull world," Haruki said.
Because he had spent all his points on the Tower of Worlds, Haruki had no choice but to opt for a simple random transmigration.
As a beam of light appeared, his voice faded, and Haruki vanished from Time Island.