Akame ga Kill: Starting with Dual Kamui

"Don't say things that can be easily misunderstood..."

Blayn said, feeling slightly speechless.

He could tell that Esdeath definitely didn't mean it that way, so he didn't give it any further thought.

"This guy had a decent Shingu. You can use it for now."

With that, Esdeath used her longsword to hook the pair of crossed scabbards on Sevier's back and then tossed them to Blayn.

Blayn caught the scabbards, instantly recognizing that they contained two swords.

"Are both of these weapons Shingu?"

He couldn't help but ask.

"That's right. To be precise, they are part of the same Shingu because this Shingu is called 'Dual Blade Style.'"

Esdeath continued, "Your Teigu is purely defensive, right? This Shingu will help balance things out by increasing your offensive capability."

Though it was named "Dual Blades," in works like these, swords and blades are often interchangeable, so dual swords could still be referred to by that name.

"I see..."

Blayn nodded slightly.

He had indeed been lacking a proper weapon. He preferred swords over heavy weapons like war hammers, which was why he hadn't paid any attention to Sykes' Shingu before.

As for Esdeath mistaking his Double Kamui for a Teigu, he had no intention of correcting her. Letting her believe what she wanted was the best option.

He hadn't confirmed or denied anything—it was entirely Esdeath's own assumption.

Blayn secured the crossed scabbards onto his back, then curiously drew the swords.

One was black, the other white. The black sword fit naturally in his left hand, while the white one settled in his right. They were identical twin swords, their only difference being color.

The weight and balance in his grip were leagues apart from the standard longsword he'd taken from a guard earlier. The craftsmanship and quality were clearly superior.

Judging by the name, the Shingu's ability was straightforward—allowing the user to wield both blades simultaneously.

"When it comes to Teigu, a person can only wield one at a time. That's an iron rule—any more would overload the body and be life-threatening."

At this moment, Esdeath decided to explain further.

"Shingu may not be as extreme as Teigu, but in most cases, a person can only own one. 'Dual Blades' is an exception. Even though it consists of two swords, the strain it places on the user is no different from that of a single Shingu."

"While it doesn't have any special abilities beyond allowing dual-wielding, its base stats are exceptional—both its offensive power and durability surpass those of ordinary Shingu."

"That said, using both a Teigu and a Shingu at the same time... won't that put too much strain on your body? If it feels like too much, just discard it."

Even after all that, Esdeath still expressed concern for Blayn's physical state.

Very few people could handle equipping both a Teigu and a Shingu simultaneously. The burden was usually too much to bear.

"I'll be fine. At least for now."

Blayn replied.

His Mangekyō Sharingan wasn't a Teigu, but he had to admit—Shingu were extraordinary. He could clearly feel the added strain when wielding this one.

However, his physical strength far surpassed that of ordinary people. The burden was negligible, and as his body grew even stronger, he would barely notice it at all.

"Good."

Satisfied with his response, Esdeath collected Sykes' Shingu—a massive war hammer.

Of course, she had no intention of using it herself. A weapon like that didn't suit her at all. She planned to turn it in at the Imperial Capital. Shingu weren't meant to be left in the hands of commoners.

With that, Blayn and Esdeath continued on horseback toward the capital.

Before long, news of the governor's death spread across Jisei City.

—

"I heard the governor was killed in the streets. Is that true?"

"Of course it's true! His son, Sykes, was the first to die. Then the governor tried to avenge him, but he got taken out too. Word is, it was General Esdeath from the Imperial Capital who killed him!"

"The governor was definitely killed by General Esdeath, but Sykes was taken out by some young man. Apparently, that young man is her lover."

"General Esdeath? What's a general from the Imperial Capital doing here?"

"Maybe she's just a righteous general who despises evil. After all, Sevier and Sykes got exactly what they deserved! General Esdeath and that young man really avenged us!"

—

Given the distance between Jisei City and the Imperial Capital, it was inevitable that they would encounter multiple Danger Beasts along the way.

However, with his new Shingu, Blayn's efficiency in hunting them had increased significantly.

His black and white swords were razor-sharp, and there was no need to worry about durability. Even after slaying several Danger Beasts, they showed no signs of wear.

At that moment, Blayn used his black sword to sever the head of a snake-like Danger Beast and immediately followed up with his white sword, stabbing into its brain.

In his experience, decapitation alone wasn't enough to kill a snake, so he assumed the same principle applied to the snake-type Danger Beast.

Sure enough, it wasn't until he delivered the finishing strike that the system notification echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Host has slain a Class Two Danger Beast. Reward: 5 System Points!]

"This time, I hunted six, and you took down five Danger Beasts. I suppose that means I win, just barely."

Esdeath adjusted her military cap, which had been tilted slightly due to the battle.

She figured that once she returned to the Imperial Capital, it would be time to choose a proper Teigu.

After all, against truly powerful opponents—especially Super-Class Danger Beasts—she was still at a disadvantage.

A Teigu would change that.

The Imperial Capital's current minister controlled a number of Teigu, and every newly promoted general had the opportunity to select one.

Esdeath, who firmly believed in the law of the jungle, would never let such an opportunity slip by.

She had no interest in Shingu—only Teigu were worth her attention. She had simply been too busy since her promotion to visit the minister and claim one.

"I never said we were competing..."

Blayn muttered in exasperation.

Maybe it was because he had been aggressively hunting Danger Beasts to earn system points, but his actions had unintentionally sparked Esdeath's competitive nature as well.

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