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"Where is she?"

Kurome's cold, unwavering gaze was fixed on August. However, her tone had softened, influenced by the earlier conversation.

"She's with Night Raid. At present, she's one of their ace members."

"Night Raid..."

At that moment, Kurome's eyes brimmed with a chilling light and murderous intent. Whatever the reasons, Akame had betrayed her—and the Empire. This was an undeniable fact.

Although Kurome herself held little loyalty to the Empire, she couldn't abandon it. She needed the Empire's 'medicine' to survive. Akame, however, had chosen to forsake her sister, leaving her behind for something else—whether it was justice or some other ideal.

Esdeath observed Kurome's sudden shift in demeanor with intrigue. Despite August being new to the Imperial Capital, he seemed to know Kurome's past with surprising clarity.

"Lord August, how exactly is this life potion made? I've never seen such a flawless elixir before," Dr. Stylish interjected, holding up a small vial of the potion. Blood stains on his arm revealed that he had tested the potion's efficacy on himself.

Such recklessness seemed natural for a scientist—a research-obsessed maniac at heart.

"I have no idea how it's made. I didn't create it," August replied indifferently.

"You don't know? What a shame," Stylish muttered, his face full of disappointment. Still, he believed in his own abilities. With his Teigu, Perfecter, he was confident he could unlock its secrets. Even if he couldn't replicate it perfectly, producing a less potent version could still yield incredible results.

Today marked the first day of the Jaegers' official missions. After introductions, Esdeath decided on a simple exercise to foster teamwork. Their task was to eliminate a group of bandits hiding in the mountains outside the Capital. Esdeath herself wouldn't intervene; the Jaegers were to handle the mission independently, with each member required to take out a portion of the enemy forces. This would serve as the first step in their collaboration.

Meanwhile, August had other plans. He wandered through the Imperial Capital, eventually arriving at the Flower District—a place teeming with depravity, lust, and sin.

Unlike Orario's Pleasure District, nearly every woman in the Flower District was under the influence of drugs, their lives controlled by the men who owned the illicit substances. These women, forced into their work by addiction, earned barely enough to survive.

This place was a dark abyss, a pit of unrelenting despair. For August, the incarnate of lust's original sin, it was a treasure trove of negative energy—the perfect place to replenish his strength.

Swish!

As August absorbed the district's negative energy, a shadow emerged from the darkness. A swift attack was launched, aiming directly for his heart—a clear intent to kill.

"Who are you?" August asked, his tone calm as a tendril of shadow twisted into a massive hand and seized the assailant.

The attacker struggled in vain, unable to escape the shadow's grip.

"Not talking? Fine, I'll just take a look myself," August said with a smirk. A blade of shadow materialized from the Dragon Shadow, slicing through the air. In an instant, the assailant was decapitated. Their soul, too, was devoured, and their memories became August's to scrutinize.

Moments later, August's lips curled into a sinister smile. "I hadn't even provoked you, yet you came for me first. Such an idiot."

From the attacker's memories, August learned that the man had been sent by none other than the Empire's Prime Minister—the epitome of corruption and decadence. This bloated tyrant, infamous for his insatiable appetite, was the real power behind the child emperor's throne. It was said he had orchestrated the deaths of the emperor's parents and seized control of the Imperial Teigu, Shikoutazer, the Supreme Teigu.

Swish! Swish!

Two more figures emerged from the shadows. They glanced at the decapitated body and sneered in disdain.

"What a weakling, to be taken out so easily," one of them remarked.

August turned to face the newcomers. From the memories of their fallen comrade, he recognized them as two of the Four Rakshasa Demons: Sten and Mez, elite enforcers trained in the Emperor's martial arts temple. Despite not wielding Teigu, their mastery of body manipulation and combat skills placed them among the Empire's strongest.

"Sten and Mez, I presume?"

"Oh? You know of us?" Sten's expression twisted in surprise. Few knew their identities, and those who did were usually corpses.

"You could say that. Let's call it... prior acquaintance," August replied with a smirk.

Though August had little regard for the Four Rakshasa Demons, he knew they served the Prime Minister and would meet their demise eventually.

"If you're aware of who we are, then you should understand your fate. The Prime Minister has ordered your death. Accept it with grace," Sten said, clenching his fists. To him, killing was an act of mercy, freeing souls from the suffering of this world.

Mez, standing beside him, appeared indifferent. She would intervene only if Sten failed—a scenario she deemed unlikely.

August chuckled. "You're quite confident for someone who hasn't even assessed their target."

___

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