" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Esdeath: ... To dance, you say... ?

Esdeath: Mission failed, huh...

Najenda: Urg... gh... 'How pathetic. Even though it was just for a moment, I allowed myself to be knocked out. Just now, even if I could mentally process what was happening, my body couldn't keep up. It's possible that I've become weaker, but Esdeath has definitely grown stronger. She's even more powerful than she was when I was with the Empire... ! I'm in no place to keep saving this. I have to use it now !'

Najenda: Magatama Manifestation !!

Esdeath: Najenda ? ... What are you doing ?

Najenda: We've accomplished our mission... We're all alive and tenacious. You shouldn't relax just because you've frozen one of us. Go, Susanoo.

*SCHKLING*

Esdeath: My ice... So this is your trump card ! And it's impressive that you've activated it from that state.

Tatsumi: I'm also going in !

"Remember, right now, our only objective is to get out of here... Don't try taking her down, just buy enough time !"

Esdeath: Impressive. This is really entertaining. But, that won't be enough.

"That bloodlust... Everyone, get away from her !!"

Esdeath: Everything freezes before me...

Esdeath: I've frozen time and space. This trump card was developed to never let Tao run away again, and to defeat any opponent without fail. Because of how much energy it takes, this technique can only be used about once a day... But that doesn't really matter now, does it ?

Susanoo: Wha... What...

Esdeath: Mahapadma is the name of an icy hell in a religion... It doesn't match with my other techniques, but it suits me perfectly.

Najenda: Susanoo ! Get out of there !!

Esdeath: I commend you for forcing me to use my trump card.

Esdeath: You've gathered an impressive group, Najenda. You never cease to amuse me. It saddens me to eliminate an enemy that can stand up to me, but I can't allow you to escape, now that you've become the leader of Night Raid. Now... Only one enemy remains.

"... ... ... You won't find it so easy to kill me..."

Esdeath: 'Strange... It's difficult for me to attack... No, a part of me doesn't want to attack... ? There are not a lot of openings, but... This is a first. Just who is that... ?' You are lucky... The prime Minister wants you to be captured alive at all costs.

"I am not so sure about that. Didn't we tell you already ? Don't lower your guard just because we seem to be down.

Esdeath: it's fully regenerated... ? But how... ?!

Najenda: The third... Magatama Manifestation... 'Frequent repeated usage is supposed to be impossible... But if I don't force myself and use this, we'll all die. With this, I've used up all of my life force... I'll leave the rest to you, Susanoo.'

Esdeath: Najenda ! Why, you !!

Tatsumi: Suu... I can fight now, too.

"Bad idea. I told you already, we need to run away. We already completed the mission, so we have to retreat."

Tatsumi: What ? But with Suu's power, we can... !

Najenda: It's just a result of forced usage that should have been impossible... Susanoo's power hasn't increased all that much, he's only slightly stronger. It's not even nearly enough to kill Esdeath... Besides, we've used too much time. Enemy reinforcements will be here any moment.

Tatsumi: ... Roger !

"Hear that, Leone ? We're getting out of here !

Leone: Sorry... But can you pick up my fingers and stuff... ?

"... I've always liked puzzles."

Leone: ... Heh...

Najenda: 'With this... The mission is over. I'll be left behind. But as the architect of this reckless plan, it's what I deserve...'

Tatsumi: There we go.

Najenda: Huh... ? Hey, i'm going to die anyway, go on without me...

Tatsumi: If you still have the energy to do all that talking, we can't know that for sure !

"Suu ! We're getting out !"

Esdeath: ... It seems that you've gotten stronger, but that's not enough. You won't even be able to scratch me.

"Suu ?!"

Susanoo: Don't ever let go of Najenda and Leone.

"... ... Roger that !"

Esdeath: Running away ?!

Susanoo: 'In my thousand-year long life as a Teigu, I was able to meet a group of great people. I have no regrets.' FAREWELL !!

Tatsumi: SUU !!

Esdeath: YOU WON'T GET AWAY !!

Susanoo: I WON'T LET YOU !!

Esdeath: ... 'A reflective technique ?!'

Susanoo; It seems that your trump card cannot be used in succession. 'on the other hand, the forced second activation turned out fortunately. I reached my physical limit before all of her life force was used up. With this, Najenda's life will probably not be in danger.' I won't let you go after them.

Esdeath: ... Fuuu... So you intend on using yourself as a decoy in order to buy time for your comrades to escape. Najenda's subordinates are all naive fools.

Susanoo: I am a humanoid Teigu. I've already revealed all my techniques, so it's a fitting role for me.

Esdeath: ... You. You said your name's Susanoo ?

Susanoo: That's right.

Esdeath: I'll remember you... Not as a Teigu, but as a warrior.

Susanoo: ... ... ...

Esdeath: Your last moments of life... Your last struggle... ENTERTAIN ME WITH THEM !!

Susanoo: NUOOOOOOOOOOOHH !!

"How lucky of us... To be able to pick up the rest of you as we were getting out..."

Lubbock: Don't worry about us. That armored guy fell to my ultimate secret technique, "Playing dead".

"... That's not really anything to be proud of, you know... ?"

Lubbock: Shut up... Be glad that guy didn't bother the rest of you.

"Yeah, that too... But even if we did complete the mission, it wasn't without sacrifices..."

*Shkrzzt*

Esdeath: Even if they took significant damage, if the mission is a failure, then there's no point. How disappointing... The snow-cloaked death... that presence... Could that person be... ?

Mine: We can finally say goodbye to this place.

Tatsumi: Thankfully, we're all alive. This is all because of Suu...

Mine: Yeah...

Tatsumi: 'Suu'... ... Ow !

Mine: Well, you were able to land safely because Pumpkin was able to slow us down after you picked us up. You should be thanking me, too.

Tatsumi: What ?! My armor helped, too !! besides, you wanted to tell me something, right ?! What was it ?

Mine: ... I'll tell you on the road !! Let's go ! The horse carriage is waiting !!

Tatsumi: What ? You're not making any sense !

Lord: ... Great. I'm glad those two are getting along nicely. I want them to treasure this moment. And I also pray, that their future take a different path from the one I saw when I first met them... That my power of prophecy, which only activates sparingly, is wrong...

"if anything... I've learned that fate has only as much control over you as you give it."

Lord: I hope so... Even if some of it is inescapable...

"... Honest..."

Explorer: This place sure came down hard...

Assistant: I hope we can find some priceless, ancient treasures.

Explorer: If these ruins had something like that, we'd get attacked by the guardians of the treasure. Like, the ones that pop out suddenly-

Assistant: WAAAAAAAAAH !! MO- MONSTEEEEEERR !!

Suzuka: Hnnnngh... Oh man, I experienced a live burial. But the Rakshasa demons' special body techniques sure come in handy at times like these. And I found a new way to play. These two boys... Not bad. I wonder if they're still alive.

*Imperial Palace*

???: We're... All here, I presume ? It is time.

Shura: The entire Empire is our toy. I, Lord Shura, will have fun playing with you.

*Night Raid: Seven members remaining...*

*Three months after Borick's assassination... With Borick's death causing his influence to vanish, the Path of Peace was finally able to orchestrate an armed uprising. Believing that fighting against the Empire that oppresses its own people was their calling, they assaulted the government offices that imposed heavy taxes and the storehouses of the landlords. Although the great lord wanted to avoid bloodshed, understanding that land and food were needed to sustain the massive number of followers, he agreed to the rationale of the religious group's leaders. Many of the citizens oppressed by the Empire also rose up in response to the uprising, and the Revolution spread throughout the Empire.

Simultaneously, the western nation's massive army began an invasion, as if it had been waiting for that very moment. The inexperienced military of the Empire suffered one defeat after another, and allowed the nation's army to penetrate deep into the Empire's territory. And thus, the Empire found itself with many problems on its hands...*

Honest: Achoo !

Emperor: Hey, Minister. I heard that our army lost to the Western nation again... Will we really be alright ? It sounds like we're surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Honest: My, my, where did you hear something like that, your highness ?

Emperor: From Seigi, the secretary of domestic affairs.

Honest: I see... It seems that Seigi is running away from his responsibilities

Emperor: What do you mean ?

Honest: the uprising across the Empire which is occurring right now is the secretary of domestic affairs' responsibility. He is trying to take the heat off his back by distracting us with news of the western nation. Please do not worry about our foreign enemies. We've called General Esdeath's army into action.

Emperor: Ooh ! Then that means...

Honest: Yes, General Esdeath will no doubt be able to rout the invading army. The number of soldiers is no longer of any importance. A thousand-year old Empire will be bound to have something like this happen eventually, but please, do not worry. Please remain calm and collected, and be the pillar that supports the people.

Emperor: I understand ! If the Emperor is weak-minded, the Empire won't be able to stand strong. Thank you, Minister ! You always have my back.

Honest: ... ... ... ...

Honest: My, my... Rebellions, invasions, it's been so stressful, lately... I'm going to gain weight from all the stress.

Shura: Gyahaha, you're eating too much, pops !

Honest: it's because your souvenirs are so delicious. I wanted to let my beloved child go on a journey... So I let you outside the Empire. And you've come back more impressive than ever. You've made me very proud, Shura.

Shura: I saw many interesting things around the world. But in the end, this Empire is still the most developed nation by far. The southern islands and the northern tundra were so rural. They didn't even have firearms.

Honest: So the next civilization that can match up to this Empire is... the western Kingdom ?

Shura: yeah. They had some interesting, unique culture, like alchemy. My only regret is that I wasn't able to visit the undeveloped Eastern island nation.

Honest: There was nothing you could have done about it. The area across the Eastern ocean is unknown territory. On the other hand, in the western regions... Did you find it ?

Shura: It was just like you said. That thing's already been taken, and quite a long time ago too.

Honest: So they stumbled on it first, then... That was pretty unlikely.

Shura: But, I finished the homework you gave me to do over the journey, "Find people with useful talent", pops.

Honest: Oho. Why don't we take a look right away ?