The morning sun had barely crested the peaks when Akame and Leone arrived at their mountainous hideout. The early light filtered through the trees, but neither of them paid it any mind. The night before had left a mark—one that neither would forget.
"Oh, welcome home," Sheele greeted softly from the doorstep, adjusting her glasses as she caught sight of the two.
There was no response. Just a heavy, oppressive silence.
"Leone? Akame? What's wrong?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Still, they said nothing. They simply moved past her, footsteps steady but heavy with fatigue, ascending the stairs with quiet determination. They were headed to report to Najenda.
Did something happen between them? Sheele wondered anxiously, her eyes following their retreating forms. Something was definitely off.
In the lounge, Mine looked up just in time to see the pair ignore Sheele completely. A frown crept across her face.
What the hell's wrong with them? That's not like Akame or Leone… Did something go wrong with the mission?
The unease settled into Mine's chest like a weight. Then, a sudden image flashed through her mind—a face she had only glimpsed once, but one that had haunted her ever since.
Vito Corleone.
His eyes. That cold, calculating stare.
No… there's no way. He couldn't be involved… could he?
She shook the thought from her head and turned her attention back to her weapon, resuming the meticulous polishing of Pumpkin, her teigu. The rhythmic movement of the cloth against steel helped calm her nerves—at least for now.
At Najenda's office, the heavy door creaked open as Leone and Akame entered with quiet courtesy. Seated at the head of the table was Najenda herself, puffing her cigarette with a contemplative air, her lone mechanical arm resting against the polished wood. In the corner, Lubbock lounged comfortably in a chair, nose buried in a book until the creak of the hinges drew his attention.
"Boss… we're back," Leone announced, her voice tinged with weariness as she exhaled a long breath.
"I'm glad you two made it back," Lubbock responded, lowering his book and flashing a light grin. "I mean, it wasn't that hard of a mission, right?"
The two women answered only with sharp glares. The lightheartedness in Lubbock's expression faded instantly, replaced by concern.
"Wait… what's the matter?" he asked, straightening in his seat.
"Take a seat, you two," Najenda interjected, gesturing toward the chairs across from her. Her tone was calm, but firm. "Let's get right to it. How was the mission? Were the targets eliminated?"
"We—" Akame began, her voice unusually hesitant.
Leone cut in, her tone serious. "Boss… something didn't sit right with this request."
Lubbock sat forward, eyes narrowing. "Tell us everything."
Leone sighed deeply before continuing, gathering her thoughts. "Remember what I told you about that fire in the Third District?"
Najenda gave a nod. "Yes. What about it?"
"It turns out, it was more than just an act of arson. It was a cover-up. Or at least, that's what I believe. Gamal hired a group of men to take out a trade overseer stationed there."
Najenda's eyes darkened. "So another life was lost before we could intervene?"
"Except they failed," Leone said firmly.
All three in the room straightened, startled.
"What do you mean?" Lubbock asked, brows furrowing.
"They failed," Leone repeated. "Or rather, someone else got to them first."
Lubbock leaned back, thinking aloud. "So you're saying someone started the fire as a distraction... to cover a rescue attempt?"
"Most likely," Leone affirmed.
Najenda's expression tightened. "And how sure are you of this, based on your... little investigation?"
"I was listening from the attic," Leone explained. "I was certain Gamal orchestrated the fire, but there was a survivor among the attackers. He confessed to Gamal that someone else intervened before they even got close to their target."
"So Lubbock's theory holds up," Najenda muttered. "But what's the connection to the mission?"
Leone glanced at Akame before answering. "The night of the fire... the woman who came with the request said her fiancé was framed for Tariq's murder. And it turns out, Tariq was killed by Gamal himself because he issued a business permit to a company that was outperforming Gamal's in its first week. That company became a threat almost instantly."
Najenda tapped her cigarette against the ashtray, her eyes narrowed in thought. "So it's not just corruption… it's desperation. He's eliminating anyone who disrupts his grip on power."
Akame finally spoke again, her tone cold, precise, and unwavering. "If he's willing to kill over something as mundane as business permits, then he won't stop there. Anyone who threatens his influence could be next."
Leone nodded in agreement, but what she conveyed next carried a heavier weight.
"Get this. The company in question? They were just selling olive oil when they suddenly shut down…"
The simple mention of the word 'olive oil' caused Najenda's brows to furrow slightly. That alone sparked recognition—and unease.
Leone continued, voice steady but laced with meaning. "Now they've reopened under a new name. They're now also selling nobility-grade whale oil—or something equally high-class. They go by the name Five Angels Trading Company."
Najenda leaned forward slightly, the name clicking into place far too easily. "Five Angels, huh… Any idea who's running that operation?"
"I've got a couple of names," Leone said, pausing for impact. "I still need confirmation, but I believe two of the men involved are…"
A tense pause.
"Vito Corleone and Tatsumi."
Najenda's cigarette hovered in the air, forgotten for a moment. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to suppress the sinking feeling growing in her gut. The name had already crossed her mind. She just needed to hear it out loud.
But there was something else that gnawed at her.
"Corleone?" she echoed.
"Yes… Any idea who that is, Boss?" Leone asked.
"In all my years serving the Empire before Honest came, never once did I encounter anyone by that surname. Nor did I find it anywhere in the civil registry."
"So this Corleone guy's still a mystery?" Lubbock, who had been quietly absorbing the conversation from the corner, now spoke up with narrowed eyes.
There was another silence. One that said everything it needed to without a single word.
Najenda shifted the topic. "Back to the matter at hand. Have you completed the request?"
Akame straightened her posture before answering. "We have eliminated Gamal."
Najenda nodded slowly. "And what of Captain Ogre?"
A long pause hung over the room, heavy and uncertain.
"We never got to him next… because Vito caught us in the act," Akame finally admitted. "But… for some reason, he warned us off."
Najenda exhaled a slow breath, the ember of her cigarette glowing faintly between her fingers. She leaned back in her chair, the harsh lines of her face etched deeper by the weight of what she had just concluded.
"Looks like Vito Corleone has been using our presence to his advantage… We've been playing right into his hands, like puppets dancing on strings to his carefully orchestrated tune."
The atmosphere in the room tensed immediately. The others in the office looked at one another in alarm. All this time, their purpose had been clear: to fight against the corruption of Prime Minister Honest's Empire, to bring justice to the innocent. But now, a shadow loomed over their mission—a new player with unknown motives who had been using their righteous cause as a pawn in his own game.
"So… what are we going to do, boss?" Leone asked, her tone edged with worry and a hint of frustration. Her arms were crossed, and her usual confidence had dulled, weighed down by unease.
Najenda let out a deep sigh, extinguishing her cigarette in the nearby ashtray with slow deliberation. She took a moment before speaking, carefully choosing her words.
"Put that woman's request on hold for now. We need more information on Vito Corleone. There's a strong chance that Ogre is under his sphere of influence, and we can't afford to make a move until we know for sure. Every wrong step now could lead us straight into a trap."
She turned to Akame, her expression sharpened with the weight of leadership.
"Akame, I want you to accompany Leone. There's a good chance Vito will tolerate your presence if Leone is with you. Assist her with surveillance. If things turn sour, your backup could make the difference."
Akame nodded without hesitation. "Understood. I'll make sure we're prepared." Her tone was steady, but her eyes betrayed a hint of concern. She knew the kind of person they were dealing with—and how high the stakes had become.
Leone cracked her knuckles and gave a half-smile, masking her tension. "Well, if we're going into the lion's den, I might as well act the part. Let's hope he doesn't bite."
Outside the office, Sheele leaned against the hallway wall, having quietly eavesdropped on the conversation. Her expression was uncharacteristically tense. The name Vito alone was enough to make her stomach twist.
I hope they'll be alright… Vito isn't someone they want to provoke. He made Mine back off just with his presence—without ever lifting a hand. Who knows what he's truly capable of if cornered?
Sheele adjusted her glasses and glanced back toward Najenda's office door, the flicker of light underneath casting long shadows on the floor. A cold shiver passed through her, not from the draft—but from dread.
This isn't just another mission. This is something bigger. Something darker.
She turned away from the door and walked silently back to her room, her mind still heavy with worry. Her steps echoed faintly down the corridor, fading into the silence of the early morning.