Chapter 77 - #76 Capturing enemy (1/2)

”Hmm, capturing a few of them would be ideal” Gozuki muttered while holding his chin with a thoughtful expression.

”Oh, okay! I want to go~!” Poney raised her hand with a cheerful smile.

Instead of answering her, others looked at me.

”? What?” I asked with a confused expression.

”It's the strategy you came up with, you decide who will go.” Akame said with a small smile.

”Is that really a good way how to do this? I don't really know your capabilities. I am not really suitable for capturing as I rather kill my targets but I am still confident in capturing a few of them.” I replied.

”Then it's decided! I and Akashi will go~!” Poney said with a clenched fist and excited expression.

”Who said that you are going too?” I asked with a puzzled expression.

”Huh? You don't want to go alone or do you?” Poney asked with a tilted head to the side.

”That's not a problem here. You aren't exactly suitable for this job since you tend to kick off your enemies' heads off before even injuring them.” Najasho explained what's the problem with her going.

”What about me?! I can control my strength and although my Shingu is slightly damaged, I am still confident to do a great job.” Cornelia immediately suggested with a wide smile while looking at me.

Ugh, I would rather go alone then be left together with her alone. I guess they won't let me go alone. Maybe...

”Green, what about you? Your weapon should be suitable for this?” I just smiled at Cornelia with closed eyes before asking Green, completely ignoring Cornelia's suggestion.

”Huh?” Cornelia was dumbfounded by how I ignored her.

”Um...sure but I would rather go with someone from our unit. I don't mean to belittle you or anything but I have no idea what to expect from you...” Green said while glancing at Akame before redirecting his apologetic smile at me.

It looks like Akame has her personal admirer.

I thought with a small smile.

”No need, I understand what you mean. Maybe I should just leave it to-” I nodded in understanding but before I was able to finish my sentence I was interrupted.

”Come on! I want some real exercise, I promise that I won't kick off anyone's head right off the bat. Pleasee~” Poney interrupted me and asked me with pleading eyes.

I looked at Gozuki but he seemed to be ignoring our entire discussion who should go. Maybe he has confidence in all of them...

”Ugh, then who wants to go together with Poney?” I asked and Poney looked at her teammates with an excited smile, however...

Everyone immediately averted their gaze to evade our stares.

”Come on! That's over the top!” Poney immediately pouted with an upset expression when she saw that no one wanted to take care of her.

Should I call out Kurome's name?

I thought and looked at her and she was happily smiling while sitting near her sister.

Ugh, I guess I can't really do that to her, not to mention I would worry by teaming those two girls together.

”Alright, let's not make this discussion until early morning. I will go with Poney near to the tombs and try to draw them out.” I said and stood up while looking at Gozuki.

”That sounds good.” He nodded his head with closed eyes.

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'With him going there together with Poney ensures her life and thankfully he will be able to capture a few of them. Still, we have to be careful even though we have support from Akashi, we will be venturing into unexplored tombs filled with many traps and strong enemies. Even I can't let my guard down. Hopefully, none will die during this mission or it won't be really worth. Although, if we just leave right now, they might try to take revenge on the Empire in the future so I guess it's better to strike while the iron is hot.' Gozuki thought and opened his dull eyes, looking at the ceiling.

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”Huh? W-Wait, we are going right now? It's night, will they even come out of the tombs?” Poney instantly asked with a panicked expression.

...*sigh* This will be one painful night.

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”Akashi, why were you participating in that test with everyone else inside that forest?” Poney asked me while we were walking down the street with her hands behind her head.

”...I participated for fun and to find a kids of my age I could befriend” I said with a straight face since that was my ”reason” I told everyone else.

”Pfft, haha, how can you say something like that with a straight face?!” She laughed while holding her stomach with one hand and pointing at my face with her other hand.

A vein popped on my forehead while corner of my mouth started twitching.

”I actually saw you inside that forest during the test. I am glad you haven't changed at all” I said and when she heard me she stopped walking with a dumbfounded expression so I just went ahead while throwing her a look with a smirk across my face.

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'Is that a good thing? What did he mean by that?' Poney thought while looking down at her petite body with a complicated expression.

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”Hey! Wait up!” Poney shouted at me while running after me while swinging back and forth with her fist above her head.

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”This should be enough” I muttered with a tired tone while looking at the tombs that were relatively close. They looked like typical pyramids except being much larger and they also led to the underground complex. At least that's what I discovered from looking at the map of the first level of the tombs. It also seems that they are much larger underground than what it seems like from outside.

”Are you sure? What if they won't come out?” Poney asked with a bit skeptical expression.

”Then I will simply invite myself inside their home. At that time they will be forced to welcome me-” I said while looking at Poney with stoic expression before I turned to the side with narrowed eyes and Poney also followed the direction of my glare.

”You are really courageous for the Empire's dogs.” A guy wearing strange loose clothes with 4 skulls attached to his clothes said while approaching us together with the other 3 people, this time only with 2 skulls attached to their clothes.

4 Skulls, huh? Gozuki said something about how the number of skulls represent their strength and standing in their society. They also inherited strange types of magic arts or apparently they call it secret arts which allows them to turn parts of their body into beasts' parts, enhancing their strength, agility, flexibility, defense, and others.