At Night Raid headquarters, in the infirmary.
The air was heavy and suffocating. The medical staff tending to the wounded worked in silence, their heads bowed, the soft rustle of bandages the only sound in the room.
Leone, usually so open and cheerful, sat quietly. Even she could not bring herself to speak. Every face in the room was grim. Four of their comrades—who had once fought and bled beside them—had fallen in the last battle. They would never return.
This crushing defeat was a harsh blow to their cause.
Mine sat wordlessly, allowing the medics to clean and bandage her arms, which were covered in fine cuts. She looked like a statue stripped of its soul.
With his chest wrapped in fresh bandages, Lubbock—pale but conscious—spoke softly to her. "Mine, I understand how you feel. But this is our fate. We are assassins. Death follows us everywhere we go..."
As a former Imperial soldier, Lubbock had far greater emotional control than Mine or Leone, who had both joined the organization later in life.
"I know... losses are unavoidable. But... if it weren't for my stubbornness—if I hadn't insisted on finishing off those two Imperial assassins—maybe Commander Tennyson and Brother Bulat could have escaped..."
"It's my fault!" Mine cried, burying her face in her hands. Her voice trembled with guilt and self-blame.
"Enough, Mine. Don't blame yourself. This isn't on you," Lubbock said gently, seeing that she was taking all the responsibility for their failed retreat upon herself.
"Yeah, Mine, it's not your fault. If you say that, then all of us share the blame..." Leone forced a weak smile as she flexed her freshly healed arm to comfort her.
"But..."
"No buts! Lubbock and Leone are right. It's not your fault—it's mine too. I issued the mission without fully scouting the enemy's capabilities."
Before Mine could reply, the infirmary door opened. Najenda entered, wearing a black suit, her short silver hair neatly cut and framing her face. Taking over Leone's words, she spoke calmly.
"Boss!" The remaining Night Raid members turned to her in unison. Their voices were filled with relief—as if a stabilizing force had finally returned. Their despair began to lift.
Even Selene, who had nothing but contempt for Najenda's pacifist and "soft" ideals, had to admit that Najenda's personal ability was formidable. Her unique charisma made it easy for her to earn the loyalty of her subordinates and restore morale.
To illustrate: both Selene and Najenda never mistreated their soldiers or withheld supplies, and both inspired loyalty. But under Selene, one faced the kind of harsh, unyielding discipline—absolute order, absolute obedience.
Selene emphasized the collective above all. Joy and levity were allowed, but one word defined her command: obedience. Complete, unquestioning obedience.
Under Selene, one's strength and wealth would rise rapidly, and opportunities for glory and advancement would come in abundance. But it was not easy. Soldiers under her trained relentlessly, and on the battlefield, death was inevitable.
Under Najenda, however, life was softer, more humane. Her leadership was imbued with compassion and understanding. Her soldiers lived easier, freer lives, unburdened by Selene's oppressive discipline.
Yet, while peaceful and stable, the chances for glory and achievement were much rarer.
Which was better depended on one's nature. The wise and the strong would each find their own answers.
Still, given the Empire's culture, Selene's militaristic style was far more valued. Her ranks were filled with ruthless warriors who thrived in war.
In contrast, Najenda was a rare breed.
"Hmm..." Najenda nodded slightly, walking slowly up to Mine. Placing her hand on the girl's forehead, she said emotionlessly, "Mine, don't lose your composure. Death among us is nothing unusual. Haven't I made that clear?"
"When we kill, we must be prepared to be killed."
"I know... but as their comrade, I have to avenge them!" Mine sobbed, lowering her hands. Her voice rose suddenly, teeth gritted so tightly they squeaked. "Next time we meet them, I won't be so weak again—I'll pierce them myself!!!"
"Tennyson and Bulat will not die in vain..." Najenda sighed, taking out a handkerchief and passing it to her.
Mine wiped her tears with the handkerchief, the confusion in her eyes gradually fading away.
Seeing Mine regaining her composure, Najenda relaxed slightly. She rose, lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, and exhaled a soft ring of smoke. "Alright, enough mourning. We've got business to attend to now... Leone!"
Creek—
When Leone followed her out, Najenda closed the infirmary door behind them before continuing, "Leone, are you certain about those two? Why was it precisely when they were staying with you that the attack happened?"
Leone took a deep breath before answering, "I'm certain. When I was in my Lionelle state, I didn't sense any malice from them... so it must have been coincidence."
"Hmm..." Najenda nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "Very well. Leone, you'll take charge of those two newcomers. Observe them for a while—and evaluate their potential."
Teigu: King Of Beasts Transformation · Lionelle — a belt-type Teigu that allows the user to assume a beast form, dramatically enhancing physical abilities while greatly amplifying senses such as smell, intuition, and perception.
"Understood, no problem."
"Good. Gather everyone in the conference room, including our two new friends." With that, Najenda turned and left the infirmary.
...
Huff— In the conference room, Najenda sat at the head seat. Once everyone had taken their places, she lit another cigarette, inhaled deeply, and began:
"Lubbock, what exactly happened? With your team—six Teigu users and one Shingu user—there shouldn't be many people in the entire capital capable of stopping you, as long as you stayed clear of the Duchess' estate and the Imperial Palace."
"Budo stays in the palace and won't leave. Selene only returns to her province on leave periodically. According to the Revolutionaries' latest intelligence, she's still in Schönbrunn Palace... Could it have been Esdeath? But no, she should still be on the frontier battlefield."
Najenda's finger tapped rhythmically on the table as she organized her thoughts aloud. "So, who are these two newcomers? And what did you encounter? Why such severe casualties?"
She flicked the ash from her cigarette, her tone calm but firm. Though the loss was devastating, she had quickly regained her composure after the initial shock.
"We're from the countryside..." said Sayo and Ieyasu, stammering nervously, fidgeting in their seats.
"I see... pitiful souls deceived by those monsters. In any case, Sayo, Ieyasu—welcome to Night Raid."
"The companion you lost—I'll have our field agents keep an eye out for them," Najenda reassured the two newcomers gently.
"Now, back to the main question. What happened out there? Why such heavy losses? Lubbock, explain."
Lubbock lifted his pale face. "At first, it was the same as before. The noble guards and the monks from Imperial Fist Temple were no match for us... but later, we encountered the Imperial Assassination Unit—the remnants of the elite squad we wiped out two years ago in the southern provinces."
"The elite unit of the Assassination Corps... the two who escaped back then? But they shouldn't have had the strength to kill Tennyson and the others..." Najenda muttered, frowning in thought.
"We encountered troops under Great General Selene," Lubbock said, his voice low and heavy.
"What?!" Najenda shot to her feet, eyes wide in shock. "You're certain they were Selene's men?"
"I'm certain! I can still hear their battle cry—'For Selene!' There's no mistaking it. And the golden double-headed eagle emblazoned on their chestplates—that's her symbol!" Lubbock clutched his head, his voice trembling but resolute.
"Great General... Selene?" For the first time in years, Najenda's expression turned grim before her subordinates.
"..."
The atmosphere instantly grew tense. Ieyasu, sitting nearby, felt completely lost.
"Uh... excuse me, Commander, but... who is this Selene?" he asked awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. He couldn't read the room, but even he could tell everyone else had suddenly gone serious.
"You idiot! The commander is thinking—don't interrupt!" Sayo hissed, tugging sharply on Ieyasu's ear.
"Cough, cough..." Leone cleared her throat awkwardly. Is this guy new to civilization?
Ieyasu's naive outburst shattered the tense silence, and the atmosphere in the conference room lightened considerably.
"No, it's fine. This isn't the rotten Empire; we're the Revolutionary Army. Everyone can speak freely. And you don't need to call me 'commander'..." Najenda smiled faintly, the heaviness in her tone easing. "I just didn't expect anyone within Imperial borders not to know the name of Great General Selene."
"Ieyasu, you illiterate fool! That's what happens when you never read the village bulletin boards! She's the Empire's Great General—the supreme commander of its armies!" Sayo said, nearly pulling her hair out in frustration at the amused looks around the room.
"Uh... I see..." Ieyasu muttered awkwardly.
Najenda took a slow drag of her cigarette and began patiently, "Great General Selene—full name, Selene von Habsburg. Governor of the North, Duchess of Habsburg, one of the three highest authorities in the Empire."
"She was once my superior... and possibly the greatest enemy our Revolution will ever face."
"Your superior? Commander, you mean—you used to serve in the Imperial Army?" Sayo asked curiously.
"That's right. I, Lubbock, and the late Tennyson and Bulat—we were all Imperial soldiers once. But when the Empire rotted beyond repair, we defected," Najenda said, glancing at Sayo and Ieyasu. "I'm sure you've seen it firsthand by now."
"Yeah..." Sayo and Ieyasu nodded. The gruesome scene in the forest warehouse from the previous night flashed through their minds, and both shivered. The thought that they could've ended up there themselves made their blood run cold.
"Selene... is she really that strong? I mean, is she truly as powerful as the rumors say?" Mine asked suddenly, her voice quiet but intense—the first time she'd spoken during the meeting.
"Boss... do you think I still have a chance?"
"..."
Najenda fell silent. She knew Mine's tragic past well—the two foster fathers she'd had were both killed by Selene. Even the revolutionary officer who had intended to take her in was annihilated when Selene personally crushed their headquarters.
For Mine, vengeance against Selene had long become her sole purpose in life.
But Najenda couldn't bring herself to offer false hope. In truth, she didn't believe Mine had even the slightest chance. Selene's power was beyond their reach—beyond human measure.
Looking her straight in the eye, Najenda said gravely, "Mine, I don't want you to throw your life away. Even if she hasn't taken the field in years, you have to understand—the number of lives lost to Selene's hand exceeds the entire Imperial Army's headcount."
"But... if she hasn't fought for so long, maybe her strength has weakened—"
"Enough, Mine!" Leone interjected sharply. "Don't cling to that kind of wishful thinking—it'll get you killed! Do you even know how South Lake in the capital was formed? Selene created it—with a single strike!"
"'God's Wrath'—everyone in the capital knows that story."
"You're joking, right?!" Mine whispered in disbelief. "South Lake is enormous—there's no way..."
"It's true! I saw it with my own eyes! It was many years ago, but I still remember the violet-red sky from that day—it's burned into my memory," Leone said with absolute seriousness.
"If Selene's that strong... how can the Revolution possibly succeed?" Mine began, but before she could finish—
Creek—! The conference room door burst open. A Revolutionary Army messenger hurried in, holding a sealed envelope. "Boss, a dispatch from headquarters!"
At this hour? It must be urgent.
Rustle. Najenda tore open the envelope and quickly scanned its contents. Her frown softened.
"Headquarters has sent reinforcements. And... they've reached an agreement with someone high in the Imperial hierarchy. For now, we'll set Selene aside."
"Our next target— the Imperial Palace. Minister Honest's private chambers."
...
What none of them knew was that, within Leone's slowly healing abdominal wound, a tiny milky-white crystal pulsed faintly with a violet-red glow.
...
"Report: based on the intercepted transmission, Night Raid's leader has been confirmed as the Imperial traitor Najenda. Coordinates verified. Captain Alex, shall we act?"
"No, not yet. The Great General seems to be preparing something. Let's not ruin it with unnecessary initiative. Send the report to her—let the General decide."
"Yes, sir!"