Chapter 86 - #85 Aftermath 1 (1/2)

*Bang* A few figures came out of the rubble.

”*cough* *cough* This was the worst mission! It was too close.” Poney complained aloud.

”hmm” Kurome slowly opened her eyes and noticed that she is being carried by Poney on her back.

”Huh? Where is everyone?” Kurome immediately muttered while looking around to understand the situation and when she noticed that she is outside of the tomb and rubble all around her, she instantly knew what had happened.

She was only able to see the prisoners that she saw inside the room where she was fighting Weneg and also Poney, however, her partner, Akashi, was nowhere to see.

*Bang* Another rubble got blown away.

”! Aka-” Kurome's expression brightened when she saw this and was ready to call out Akashi's name but her mouth closed when she saw the people who came out.

”*Cough* That was close, too close. They went completely nuts.” Najasho, Green, and Akame came out of the rubble.

Although Kurome was happy to see her sister be alright, she was now concerned about another person.

”?! Kurome! Are you alright?!” Akame immediately ran up to Poney, checking Kurome's small cuts across her entire body. Most of them already stopped bleeding since they were really small and despite the number, Kurome had quite a tough body thanks to prescriptions from Oarburgh clan and her regeneration was also enhanced by a bit.

”I am fine, I just need to rest. Where is Akashi Nii-sama?” Kurome asked with a worried tone while glancing at Poney who let her sit down on the ground.

”...He said that he will look for others.” Poney said with a guilty expression while looking down, not daring to look into Kurome's eyes.

”?! Why didn't you stop him?!” This question didn't come from Kurome but from Akame.

”Akame...We couldn't really do anything...He shouted at us to go and there was no time to argue.” Tsukushi said with a slightly sad expression.

”...I guess he won't need this back after all” Gin suddenly mumbled with a conflicted expression while holding gripping the coat she was currently wearing. Natala and immediately

”...He won't die! Don't worry!” Poney suddenly exclaimed with a cheerful smile but it was still visible that she was forcing herself to smile.

Everyone looked at her with a surprised expression and Kurome was the only one who was looking back at the rubble. The hope still hasn't escaped from her eyes.

”What do you mean, Poney?” Akame asked with a confused expression.

”He is super strong! He defeated the boss without even losing his cool image around him, haha. He wouldn't get killed by some rubble. Even when I was almost kicked to death by one of them, he killed him with only one swing of his sword.” Poney explained with a smile and glazed eyes.

Everyone looked at Poney with wide-open eyes.

”She is right, big sis. Akashi Nii-sama wouldn't let himself get killed by rubble.” Kurome said with a smile while looking at the tomb's remains.

”Kurome...” Akame called out with a slightly sad expression while looking at her sister.

Suddenly, they noticed flames slowly escaping through the small gaps between rubble to the surface.

”What the?!” Green exclaimed with a shocked expression when he saw this bizarre sight while getting ready into his attacking stance with his whip.

”Is that-?!” Natala, Gin and others who were previously with Akashi muttered to themselves.

The flames slowly formed the kneeling figure on the surface and the flames suddenly transformed into a person.

---some distance away from the tomb's remains---

”Oh?! I knew that he would have survived but to think he has such means!” Esdeath suddenly exclaimed with a delighted tone and wide smile when she saw this while Gozuki and Uncle Bill could only stare with dumbfounded expressions.

---Akashi's POV---

”...Looks like I am finally out” I muttered when I finally saw the sky while getting up from my knee and looking around.

”Akashi!” Everyone exclaimed with shocked expressions when they saw me and Kurome went as far as to jump on me, hugging me while hanging from my neck.

”Hehe, I knew you wouldn't die!” Poney chuckled and hopped next to me while extending her fist to me with a wide smile but her eyes were still glazed.

”...Say that to your eyes.” I replied and shook my head with a teasing smile while bumping my fist with hers.

Thankfully, everything I had on me during my transformation remained on me. And it looks like no one is actually suspicious of this fact, good for me.

”Anyway...I couldn't find Cornelia anywhere...” I looked around the rubble before I said with a serious expression, dropping a bucket of ice over everyone's head.

”?!...” No one replied to my words and everyone grew silent while looking downward.

”*sigh* I guess we can only go back and report while hoping for the best. Don't you think so?” I sighed and said with a neutral tone before asking Najasho who was their leader.

”...Yes, let's go, everyone.” Najasho thought for a while with closed eyes before opening them and saying this while walking away from the collapsed tomb.

”?! W-Wait, chief! Why won't we try to search for Cornelia?!” Tsukushi asked with a shocked expression.