Akame ga Kill: Starting with Dual Kamui

"Huh...?"

Why... did he just call me an idiot?

Kurome's expression froze in shock, her eyes staring blankly at Blayn.

"She's not dead, yet you want to use Yatsufusa to turn her into a corpse puppet?"

Blayn looked completely baffled. "You guys don't actually think I'm going to 'discipline' her, do you?"

He was aware of the so-called "punishment" system, but it wasn't something imposed by the higher-ups—it had been put in place by the previous manager of the Enhanced Unit.

In contrast, the former manager of the Elite Unit never enforced such a rule. None of the Elite Seven had ever been "disciplined"—they had either fallen to powerful enemies or left the Empire entirely.

Aside from Akame, the so-called "traitor," two other members of the Elite Unit—Najasho and Pony—had vanished, taking the Shingu Water Dragon Sword and Yocto-Bottoms with them.

If Blayn hadn't taken over the assassination squad, the "punishment" system would likely still be in place. No wonder Kurome and the others reacted so strangely.

"Commander, my body... I don't think I can hold on much longer. Please, I don't want to be 'disciplined'... Let Kurome kill me instead..."

Lying on the ground, Yasha pleaded with Blayn.

At least this way, she could stay with everyone in some form.

"..."

Kurome wanted to say something but held back.

She had always followed orders without question, never defying the Empire—or her commanders. If Blayn insisted on executing Yasha as a form of "punishment," she wouldn't utter a single word of protest.

"So when exactly did I say I was going to 'punish' you?"

Blayn was at a loss for words.

The moment he spoke, the entire group froze.

Kurome was stunned, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"What...?"

Yasha, equally bewildered, stared at Blayn in disbelief.

"Didn't you hear me? The 'punishment' system was something your former commander came up with. I have no intention of following his rules—I have my own way of managing things," Blayn said flatly.

"Then... then I..."

Yasha murmured in a daze.

"You'll be fine. Just rest and recover when we get back, or if necessary, someone can escort you now," Blayn said.

"Really?!"

Yasha couldn't believe it. Did she actually have a chance to live?

"Of course. In my squad, there is no 'punishment' system. Train as usual, and if you're injured and can't continue fighting, just return and heal. You don't have to worry about anything else," Blayn stated firmly.

His words left not only Yasha but everyone else in shock.

This commander... was he just too kind?

For the first time, they felt warmth and kindness from a superior. It was an unfamiliar sensation.

Commander Seryu was another example. While terrifying in battle, she was surprisingly friendly when interacting with them, often laughing and chatting.

Of course, if the goal was to cultivate heartless killers, Blayn's leniency might be seen as a flaw.

But he didn't care. He was here for the money, not to serve the Empire. He did things his own way.

Besides, no rational person would treat a living soldier like disposable trash and "discipline" them to death, right?

"...So Yasha doesn't have to die?"

Kurome asked, still somewhat dazed.

"Kurome... You really are an idiot. I've already explained this twice now," Blayn said, exasperated.

He had been crystal clear.

At the same time, he noticed that Kurome fluctuated between being a naive airhead and a ruthless killer.

That cold, detached look on her face earlier—the one that suggested she was ready to kill her own comrade without hesitation—wasn't something a normal person would have.

It was clear that the Empire had twisted everyone in the assassination squad in one way or another...

"I'm not an idiot..."

Kurome muttered under her breath, sounding slightly disgruntled.

Only now did everyone truly process the situation—Yasha wasn't going to be "disciplined." She could go back and recover.

Kelly immediately reached out to help Yasha up. "Yasha, should I go with you to get treatment?"

Realizing she wasn't going to die, Yasha's energy returned. "Actually, I'm not that bad off—just weak. I can still fight."

"If you're able to move, you can continue training with us."

Since Yasha was a member of Team B, Blayn turned to Seryu. "Seryu, keep an eye on her for now."

"Yes, Master!"

Seryu nodded enthusiastically.

"Wait, so Blayn is actually Seryu's master?"

Someone in the group asked, curiosity piqued.

"That's right. Master is incredibly strong, so I've been learning from him," Seryu replied proudly.

"Commander Blayn is really strong."

After witnessing Blayn's battle with the Special-Class Danger Beast, everyone had been left in awe.

His sheer speed was something none of them could even react to.

But above all, it was his kindness that had completely won them over.

"For now, let's prepare dinner. Training resumes tomorrow morning. But stay alert—we might get attacked by Danger Beasts tonight. Team A and Team B will take turns keeping watch," Blayn instructed.

"Got it!"

"I'll handle the cooking!"

"I know exactly what seasoning makes scorpion meat taste amazing."

...

The atmosphere had lightened considerably, and everyone worked together to prepare the meal.

Blayn was tending the fire using the chopped wood, having started it with the traditional fire-drilling method. With his current strength, it was a trivial task.

Just then, Kurome walked over and sat down beside him.

She seemed to have something on her mind, but she hesitated, remaining silent as she simply watched him.

"...Do you need something?"

Blayn finally asked.

"Not really... I just can't believe how different you are from our previous commander," Kurome said softly, tilting her head back to gaze at the night sky.

"I mean, I'm just thinking like a normal person. Your last commander was so deranged that I seem unusual by comparison," Blayn said with a sigh.

This Empire had far too many twisted people. So much so that being rational now seemed strange.

"..."

Kurome was silent for a while.

"If you had been our commander back then... maybe my sister wouldn't have betrayed us."

As she mentioned her sister, she instinctively hugged her knees, looking small and vulnerable.

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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