The Imperial Teigu used by the Emperor was truly massive—its size and power were overwhelming. In contrast, Tatsumi, wearing his own armor, seemed like an average person standing before Ultraman.
The disparity between them was immense.
The Emperor effortlessly gripped Tatsumi with one of Shikoutazer's mechanical hands and slammed him hard into the ground.
But in doing so, the Emperor inadvertently damaged the very city he was supposed to protect.
Several Imperial soldiers who had been stationed in the vicinity were crushed beneath the impact. The Emperor didn't even seem to notice—he was too consumed by his battle frenzy to care.
"Since you have power like this, why don't you fight the real evil?"
Tatsumi, though gravely injured and barely able to move, still managed to speak.
"Are you really content being someone's puppet forever?!"
His voice, trembling but resolute, echoed across the battlefield.
Those words hit the Emperor like a slap to the face.
Puppet.
That word—more than anything else—was something the young Emperor never wanted to hear.
"Shut up!!!"
Roaring in rage, the Emperor raised Shikoutazer's colossal foot and brought it down with murderous intent.
Had that foot landed, Tatsumi would have been instantly crushed.
But at the last possible moment, a blur of movement saved him.
A shadow darted in and pulled Tatsumi to safety.
The Emperor's foot missed its target, crushing only rubble.
Furious that Tatsumi had escaped, the Emperor turned his wrath on the Imperial Capital itself.
"No matter what, we have to stop him!" someone shouted. "Only we can put an end to this madness!"
Tatsumi and his remaining allies split up. Tatsumi charged once again toward the Emperor, while the rest began evacuating civilians caught in the crossfire.
Despite his battered condition, Tatsumi pressed on.
Piece by piece, his efforts began to chip away at the Emperor's ultimate Teigu. The indomitable armor, once unscathed, now showed cracks and damage.
But with every strike Tatsumi landed, the Emperor grew more frenzied—his attacks became more vicious, more erratic.
Tatsumi was knocked to the ground repeatedly, each time leaving deeper wounds on his already broken body.
Yet he never gave up.
Because he knew—if he fell now, no one else could stop the Emperor.
"Tatsumi!"
Watching from a distance, Akame (Chi Tong) clenched her fists, heart aching as she saw her comrade pushed to his limit.
Tatsumi's body was a ruin of bruises and blood. His armor was fractured. His breaths came out ragged and short.
The Emperor was simply too powerful.
Even Tatsumi's willpower might not be enough.
And then—
A calm voice echoed in Akame's ear.
"Seems like you're in a tight spot. Need some help?"
"Who's there?" she asked, startled.
"I'm someone who can help you," the voice replied.
"How?" she demanded. "You saw what's happening. That monster's practically invincible."
"I can help you defeat the Emperor," the voice said simply.
"…If you really have that kind of power, then please—help us."
Although Akame was bewildered by the sudden voice, she didn't question it. Right now, they needed any help they could get.
Ding! A new Thug Mission has been generated!
Mission Objective: Assist Night Raid in defeating the Empire and secure victory!
---
Jack: A new mission has just dropped. Everyone, get ready to compete.
Beerus: Jack-sama, I'm *always* ready. 😼
Xiangpa: Count me in, Jack-sama! We're not losing this one.
Krillin: That emperor… he's just a kid. But look at the destruction he's caused.
Piccolo: He's not doing this of his own will. He was clearly shaken when he saw the city in ruins. But then that white-bearded old man whispered something, and the kid just hardened again.
Piccolo: If we really want to end this, we need to deal with that old man too.
Tien Shinhan: Piccolo has a point. The emperor's just a pawn. The true villain is the manipulator behind him.
Beerus: Forget all that for now. Let's *get* this mission. Last time, Universe Six got the better of us.
Vados: Califla did perform quite impressively before. I'm hoping for another great result.
Xiangpa: There are still others who haven't taken a mission yet. Come on, let's make Universe Six proud again!
Jack: The mission has been posted. Get ready to grab it.
Ding! Congratulations! The mission has been claimed by Thug: Hit!
---
Gabe: @Hit, incredible! Senior Hit got the mission!
Hit: ...
Califla: So cool! Senior Hit doesn't even get excited after winning. He's so calm and collected—just like a true assassin.
Xiangpa: @Hit, excellent work. This task should be easy for someone like you. Be sure to bring home a five-star performance!
Hit: I don't need you to tell me that.
Jack was slightly surprised when he saw that Hit had claimed the mission.
But then again, it made sense.
Hit's skillset was perfect for this world.
The Night Raid, after all, was an elite assassination unit—and the one who requested help was their ace assassin.
And now, standing on their side, was Hit: the most feared assassin in Universe Six.
Still, Jack couldn't help but feel regret.
If Akame had triggered the mission a bit earlier, maybe more lives could have been saved.
Night Raid had been fighting a long battle, with their ultimate goal being the assassination of Minister Honest—the root of the Empire's corruption.
Despite their strength, Night Raid had suffered heavy losses over time. The mission had taken a toll on all of them.
But if the task had been posted earlier—and if Hit had been deployed sooner—eliminating Honest would've been child's play.
Compared to Night Raid's members, Hit was in another league entirely.
What they found nearly impossible would've been trivial for him.
Still, the timing of a thug mission was beyond anyone's control—not even Jack could predict when they would trigger.
Hit: I'll complete the mission.
Without any hesitation, Hit opened a portal and stepped into the Akame ga Kill world.
---
Back in the Red World
Akame knelt beside the battered form of Tatsumi, who was trying to rise to his feet once again.
He was covered in wounds. His armor had shattered in places, and his body trembled from pain and exhaustion.
Even if he somehow managed to win this battle, he would not survive the aftermath.
Akame's heart clenched.
She had seen too many of her friends die.
She couldn't bear to watch Tatsumi fall too.
Just then, a strange ripple appeared beside her. A portal opened.
From it stepped a tall figure with a purple tint to his skin, sharp eyes, and a long coat. His presence radiated calm intensity.
"Are you the one who came to help us?" Akame asked cautiously.
Hit nodded slightly. "That's right."
Though surprised by his sudden appearance, Akame's instincts as an assassin told her he was the real deal.
A true killer.
A professional.
And maybe, just maybe… a savior.
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