" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Tatsumi: So... Emperor, huh ? You want us to address you as majesty now ?

"Don't you fucking dare. I didn't spend the last years of my life laying low for it to leak out now. And please, don't say it to anyone else."

Najenda: Knowing the Imperial blood is still alive outside of the Minister's grasp would stirs the embers of revolution like nothing else...

"And throw thousand of innocent lives into disarray as civilians try to take up arms ? No thanks."

Najenda: So you're not planning to take back the throne ?

"Not in the slightest. This Empire is dead, rotten to the core. All I want is finally lay it to rest."

Tatsumi: ... An Empire is defined by its people, huh...

"We'll need all the power we can to make it so... Speaking of, Tatsumi... How're you holding up with all of that ?"

Tatsumi: No problems... On the contrary, it's like there's power welling up from inside my body...

Najenda: ... Then it's just as the doctor said.

Doctor: as I suspected... it's starting to bond with you, young man. Whether you were consumed by the armor, or it fused with you... You are becoming Incursio's dragon body.

Najenda/Tatsumi: ... ... !

Doctor: Do not mistake this for the sound of a power-up in the least. Rather, as a mortal, believe me when I say this will break you. Although, as opposed to a poison, this will gradually make you stronger... It is, in fact, what saved your life this time around.

"So in other words... Tatsumi has become some sort of hybrid between human and danger beast..."

Najenda: Bulat has equipped Incursio dozens of times...

Doctor: But Bulat used it in a just, proper way. Having heard the story, it's clear that this case is different. I told you that it would be impossible for Incursio to fight against the two top of the Empire.

Tatsumi: ... I can endure any pain that's required... Just give me strength...

Doctor: This is the cost. You will become stronger, but as the user, it begins to drive you towards destruction. After 10... No, just a fewyears. Although, who knows, if you continue your training and build your strength... You might become able to use it without overdoing it, properly, like Bulat... But...

Tatsumi: Then... if I continue transforming as I am now...

Doctor: Having evolved in such a dangerous way, you might be completely devoured by Incursio... Your body might not be able to endure it and then you'll be consumed and destroyed... Long story short, certain death. Even now, the symptoms have begun manifesting in your eyes. At the most, I would say after a few more times... I'd say 3 to 4 is the limit.

Najenda: To think even the Holy Retriever has no effect on that...

"Its purpose is to fight other Teigus... But right now, Incursio's being reborn as a danger beast..."

Tatsumi: i'm fine. If I can use it 4 more times, that should be more than enough. For the final standoff... That will be plenty... !

Najenda: ... i'm sorry. I'd like to be able to to tell you not ti fight anymore... But we no longer know what Esdeath's trump card will be. And in order to defeat her, we will need Incursio who has adapted to her frozen atmosphere. So please...

Tatsumi: Of course ! The revolutionary will win, won't they ?

"No matter how you look at it... As long as we think about this situation rationally, we should come out victorious; But this is the Minister we're talking about. he's likely to have some kind of ace up his sleeve, along with Esdeath's strength..."

Najenda: if we give them the slightest opening when we attack, they'll turn the tables on us and won't hesitate to crush us...

Tatsumi: Which means we've got to be careful... We can't allow ourselves any margin of error on this.

Najenda: Yeah... That's why we nee to gather our pace right now and prepare properly. As soon as all the rebelling forces from all the various locations unite, they will launch a simultaneous attack on the Imperial Capital. After that, all they need to do is besiege Esdeath.

"Just how long will that psycho continue to fight..."

Najenda: To the bitter end, i'm afraid. And not even out of loyalty, but to her, this kind of situation is like a present... A prize, if you will. She will now have boundless heaps of opponents to fight.

"I see... 'So even if she were to die, she would be happy to die on the battlefield and bathed in blood, until she can taste her body's own destruction... She lives for war, there's no place for someone like her with peace..'..."

Najenda: No matter what happens, you cannot allow any chance for her to slip out alive. If she escapes, there will be new coals and ashes for her to be reborn from...

"... Up until now, Esdeath has been obsessed with the idea of making me hers... But next time, regardless of the facet I show her, her intention to kill me will be real. And I will be returning it in nature and kind. For Lubbock's part as well..."

Najenda: ...Yeah. Kick her ass for me. But don't beat yourself up over it... Night Raid is one for all and all for one. I'm sure Lubbock would say that as well...

"Yeah..."

Najenda: Lubbock... I see... So you really are dead...

Spy: ... Yes, after killing the Prime Minister's son... He was executed there. We tried our best, but this was all we could recover of him.

Najenda: ... I'll carry it with me always. You have my thanks.

Spy: We currently have been trying to acquire the latest version of the Palace map... This tactic would've required years of work, although with Budo gone now, perhaps we'll be able to make something happen. This is the help Lubbock gave us with his life... Sowe're going to give it everything we've got !

Najenda: Damn it... Even though I had prepared myself for the worst... You're never ready to feel this extent of loneliness.. 'We were always together, after all... All I can do now is keep this part of you with me until the very end... Lubbock !'

Esdeath: These are the rebel army's movements... They've united and are now planning to besiege the Imperial Capital. They're currently waiting for reinforcements.

Wave: They were always in a rush for results previously, so I had expected them to go ahead and strike... But they're holding strong to their lines and maintaining their control.

Kurome: It kind of looks like they're making light of us from here...

Wave: their forces are reigning down upon us... The main force of the rebel army truly is a formidable bunch.

Esdeath: There is none my equal among the clash of soldiers... For a massive army like that, the person who is able to diligently provide them their provisions and control them is the real threat. I would like to fight them, but they are nowhere to be found on the front lines.

Kurome: I see.

Wave: the way things are now, soldiers who had turned their backs on the Empire are also springing up one after the other. They've even got the commander's division pinned down in the West... I wonder if there's any chance of coming out of this victorious...

Esdeath: Of course there is.

Wave: ... ... ...

Esdeath: For example, there's "That". Just look out the window.

Kurome: ... Out the window... ? Wh- What ? This is... An Imperial Arm's power ?!

Wave: With that, we'll be able to decease their numbers and move according to plan... !

Esdeath: The Prime Minister also has other supreme Imperial arms on reserve. This grand battle is filled with Imperial Arms on both sides. Don't get me wrong, it will be a strenuous and taxing battle... Where else would you ever be able to find a situation this fun ? Those that ran away are unworthy.

Esdeath: I am now going to raise the morale of the soldiers that still remain and try to turn the tide in our favor. You guys protect the Imperial Capital. There will be some lot that will try to take advantage of this chaos and cut right through the middle. Understand ?

Wave/Kurome: Yes, ma'am !

Wave: Commander... Err, umm... Is it true... That Tao was both part of Night Raid, and the Snow-cloaked death ?

Esdeath: Yes. It took me by utter surprise.

Wave: ... ... ...

Esdeath: Hmph... Are you worried about me ? As much as I find them to be unnecessary words... I do find worry and concern and the like to be novel and interesting.

Wave: Commander... Even now, do you still... Love Tao ?

Esdeath: Of course. Our positions may have changed, but my feelings have not. Bols had given me this advice. It is essential to never give up on anything.

Wave: But... What of friends and foes...

Esdeath: It's shameful to talk about, so I won't say too much... I've reflected on my thoughts over what my body sensed and felt from his capacities. If, by chance, we should meet again... This time I will obliterate him with every last ounce of my strength. I shall not make the same mistakes twice. My feelings will not reach Tao.

Esdeath: I want to furiously cross swords with him... All my might against all of his. Whether I end up killing him, or he ends up killing me... Either way, I'm fine.

Wave: Kurome... You can empathize with the commander's feelings, can't you ?

Kurome: I also want to kill my sis... But if I end up getting killed, then my sister was better.

Wave: ... I don't understand it myself. Well, as long as the commander is happy, it's fine. Bols and the others... Our comrades who are all fighting for the Empire... And me, for the savior who trained me to become the man I am now... I will do what I can.

Kurome: ... ... You've been reading a lot of books recently, haven't you ?

Wave: The path to changing the Empire from within that Ran used to talk about... I want to carry on those hopes and succeed them.

Kurome: If we can repel this adversity now, in the confusion and disorder following the war, you'll have a huge chance to actually succeed, Wave !

Wave: Hell yeah ! I'm gonna study until my evening duties !!

Kurome: I'm gonna take an afternoon nap...

Kurome: ... ... It reeks of the ocean.

Wave: if you've got a problem with it, then go sleep in your own room !!

Kurome: Nope... I'll just deal with it...

Izou: Has the time finally come for me to move ?

Dorothea: Yup. I'm going on a picnic outside with Cosmina. So keep me company.

Dorothea: 'As long as she keeps eating, Cosmina will become stronger than anyone in this world. Even capable of surpassing the Supreme Imperial Arms. Ufufu, oh, how I've raised you~. For the realization of my own great ambitions !'