After the intruders were eliminated, Tatsumi was placed under Akame's supervision for training.
Although he still wasn't particularly "fond" of Akame, Tatsumi was excited. He wanted to quickly become stronger—as strong as Akame herself. He held a peeling knife, quickly skinning a potato. He had expected combat training, like swordsmanship, not... this. This was cooking!
"We must learn as many skills as possible. That is the only way to survive in the army," Akame explained calmly. "With knowledge of food, we can avoid starvation and malnutrition."
Memories of cooking in his village kitchen surfaced in Tatsumi's mind, reminding him of his two childhood friends.
"Sayo... Ieyasu..."
"Thank you. Because of you two, I know how to cook," Tatsumi thought, drifting into his memories. Suddenly, a childish voice snapped him out of his reverie.
"I've been waiting forever!"
Mine stood up, hands on her hips, urging him on. Because she was so petite, even standing up, she wasn't much taller than the others who were sitting.
"Ah, add me too," Bulat added.
"Me too," Sheele said softly.
"Please," Lubbock chimed in.
The food on the table had nearly vanished; the four of them ate like starving tigers. Tatsumi could only swallow his tears and continue peeling potatoes. After the meal came dessert. The peeling knife never left his hand for a second as he began skinning apples, arranging them on various trays.
"Damn it! I'm supposed to be an assassin! Not a kitchen assistant!"
"It can't be helped, since I'm in charge of the food," Akame said, picking a few grapes from a tray.
"Hey, is it appropriate to eat like that while working?"
"Why not?"
Tatsumi was speechless and returned to his apples. Then, Mine's voice rang out again, causing him to accidentally crush the apple he was almost finished peeling.
"Hurry up, kitchen assistant!"
"Shut up! I am not a kitchen assistant!"
"What's the difference? Goodbye, rookie."
Mine took a tray and left. Veins popped on Tatsumi's forehead; he was frustrated with nowhere to vent. "Why does that brat always pick on me?"
The Waterfall Training
Once the kitchen duties were done, Akame led him to a massive waterfall.
"Wow! This place is beautiful!"
The waterfall was immense, feeding into a large lake surrounded by lush forest. The atmosphere was incredibly refreshing.
"Today, we will hunt in this lake," Akame said. She began to pull off her shirt and step out of her skirt, causing Tatsumi to recoil in shock, covering his eyes. This was too much for a young man like him.
"Why the panic?" Akame asked, seemingly unbothered and far more composed than Tatsumi. He peeked through his fingers and realized she was wearing a white swimsuit, not standing there naked.
"Whew!! Thank goodness it's a swimsuit," Tatsumi muttered, exhaling in relief.
"Our target today is the Koga mackerel. This is the best spot."
"Aren't those mysterious, rare, and extremely cautious?" Tatsumi knew of the fish but had only heard stories; he'd never touched or even seen one. Their meat was legendary—a delicacy fit for the Capital's elite.
From a high rocky outcrop, Akame leapt, spinning in the air before diving into the water. Not long after, several fish flew out of the water. Miraculously, they all landed perfectly in the basket on Tatsumi's back. He stood there with his jaw dropped.
"The... the God of Fishing?!!!"
"Dive deep and hide your presence," Akame surfaced, beginning her lecture. "Strike the moment the prey passes by. That is the key. Can you do it?"
Tatsumi smirked, tossed his clothes aside, and dove into the lake. "Too easy!"
But as it turned out, it wasn't easy at all.
The History of the 48 Teigu
At dinner, Najenda poked at a large fish head with her chopsticks. Leone was doubled over laughing. Akame held a fish head in both hands, lost in thought.
"In the end, Tatsumi spent the whole afternoon and only caught two fish..."
"And yet I heard you stripped down and shouted it was 'too easy,'" Leone teased.
"You are still too naive," Akame added. Tatsumi bowed his head like a child being scolded by a parent, forced to endure the teasing.
The daily report meeting followed, but this time it included a special segment: introducing the rookie to the power known as Teigu.
"About a thousand years ago," Najenda began, "the founding Emperor of the Empire worried deeply. He wanted to protect his dynasty so it could last forever, but even an Emperor must die. He came up with an idea: create special weapons. The person may die, but the weapon remains for the next generation."
"Extremely rare materials were harvested from S-Class Dangerous Beasts, combined with a rare metal called Orichalcum. The greatest geniuses from across the world were summoned."
"The first Emperor's wealth and power created 48 weapons that cannot be replicated even today. They are the Teigu."
"Every Teigu is incredibly powerful; some possess the strength of an army of a thousand soldiers. Those granted a Teigu quickly rose through the military ranks. However, after the civil war 500 years ago, more than half were lost. That is all."
Tatsumi hesitated, looking at the sword at Akame's hip. He remembered when she cut a soldier, and black patterns immediately spread across his body. It was no ordinary weapon.
"Is that one of them?"
"Yes," Akame replied. "One-Cut Killer: Murasame. If you are cut by this cursed blade, poison from the curse enters the wound, causing instant death. There is no cure."
Najenda continued the breakdown:
King of Beasts Transformation: Lionelle: A belt-type Teigu that turns the user into a beast, enhancing their physical attributes and all five senses. (Leone's)
Roman Artillery: Pumpkin: A weapon that absorbs spirit energy and converts it into a shockwave. Its power increases the more danger the user is in. (Mine's)
Demon Armor: Incursio: A defensive Teigu. Because the user is prone to its backlash, few can wield it. It also possesses a short-term invisibility cloaking ability. (Bulat's)
Infinite Use: Cross Tail: A glove-type Teigu using thin steel wires. Lubbock can use it to create barriers, trap enemies, or bind and slice. (Lubbock's)
Cutter of Creation: Extase: Sheele's giant scissors, capable of cutting through anything and possessing high defensive durability.
"And now... you know all our secrets," Lubbock said, suddenly appearing behind Tatsumi. A steel wire looped around Tatsumi's neck, making him break into a cold sweat. "We share a common fate."
"That's... that's right," Tatsumi stammered.
"Don't be scared, Tatsumi," Leone reassured him, ignoring Lubbock's antics. "The Boss telling you this means she trusts you completely."
"Night Raid may be small in number, but our combat potential is limitless. We are the key factor for the revolution to erupt," Najenda stated firmly.
"Boss... what about me?" Tatsumi pointed to himself. After hearing about the incredible weapons, he was burning with excitement. He wanted one too.
"If it is meant to be," Najenda said, "one day you will have a Teigu of your own."