Being Overpowered in Akame ga Kill

"Hmm? What's going on?"

The moment the flute sounded, Lina felt her strength vanish. Just as she was about to collapse, Haruki reacted instantly, catching her in his arms.

The suddenness of it all left Lina stunned. It wasn't until she was nestled against Haruki's chest that she came back to her senses. Her cheeks flushed red as she looked up and asked. For an unmarried girl, being held like this was already embarrassing—especially for someone as shy as Lina.

Since everyone except Haruki and the girls beside him had collapsed, Lina assumed he must know what was happening.

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be the effect of the Teigu: Military Music Dream [Scream]," Haruki said calmly, though it was unclear whether he was answering Lina or speaking to the others around him.

The moment he heard the sound, Haruki knew the fight between the Three Beasts and Night Raid's Bulat and Tatsumi had begun. He'd anticipated this from the start, so it didn't catch him off guard.

"Brother, what should we do? Should we go take a look?"

Upon hearing Haruki mention Military Music Dream [Scream], Gin and the others immediately realized that the Three Beasts, Esdeath's subordinates, had boarded the ship and were in the middle of a battle.

Everyone around Haruki knew Esdeath was his woman, so the girls were very familiar with the Three Beasts. Now that they were in trouble, it seemed only natural to lend a hand.

"Alright, let's go check it out."

Haruki accepted their suggestion, partly because he was curious about the fight himself.

"Um… Lord Haruki, my father is still inside."

Just as Haruki and the others were about to head out, Lina, still held in his arms, spoke up shyly. Her cheeks remained flushed.

"Don't worry. He's perfectly safe here. Let's go see what's going on."

Haruki's tone left no room for argument.

"This…"

"Lina, do as Lord Haruki says. Go with him."

Seeing her hesitation, her father stepped in and encouraged her.

As an experienced man, he could tell that Haruki had taken an interest in his daughter. To him, Haruki was more than worthy—handsome, capable, and most importantly, good to his women. Compared to other nobles, Haruki was practically flawless.

"Lord Haruki, can you guarantee my daughter's safety?"

Though he had agreed, the man still looked at Haruki seriously. From his expression, it was clear this wasn't some political move—he genuinely cared for his daughter's well-being.

"Rest assured. No one in this world can touch anyone I choose to protect."

Even Haruki couldn't ignore such a devoted father. He replied with quiet authority, then said no more. Holding Lina close, he led Gin and the others slowly toward the dragon boat's deck.

Lina, hearing her father's words and still affected by Haruki's commanding promise, said nothing more. In this moment of youthful infatuation, nestled in his arms and gazing at his firm expression, she found herself dazed.

...

On the deck of the Ryuusen, two sides were locked in a tense standoff.

On one side stood three figures: an energetic elderly man, a burly brute, and a feminine-looking youth. They were Esdeath's subordinates—the Three Beasts: Liver, Daidara, and Nyau.

Nyau was currently playing his flute, activating the Teigu: Military Music Dream [Scream].

Opposing them were just two people—Bulat and Tatsumi of Night Raid.

Bulat's leg was tightly bandaged, with blood already seeping through.

It was worth noting that aside from Haruki, only Chelsea, Sayo, and Yuki—who carried Haruki's vampire bloodline—were entirely immune to the effects of Military Music Dream [Scream]. Even Gin, who was on par with Esdeath, experienced minor effects, though nothing severe. (Notably, Sayo, after becoming Haruki's woman, had received his blood. Though she wasn't particularly strong yet, her elevated bloodline allowed her to resist the Teigu's effects.)

Bulat, however, was far weaker than Gin. To stay conscious under Nyau's influence, he had no choice but to wound himself to maintain focus.

As for Tatsumi, though still on his feet, he looked dazed and sluggish, clearly struggling under the powerful effect of the music.

"General Liver, I'm so glad you're alive."

Bulat's face lit up as he spoke to Liver.

Before defecting from the Empire, Bulat had served under Liver. However, after Liver was imprisoned for refusing to accept a bribe, Bulat tried to defend him and was subsequently framed as well. Disillusioned by the Empire's corruption, he used his Teigu to escape and joined Night Raid.

"Yes, I was supposed to die. But I never expected Lady Esdeath to save me. That's why I now serve under her."

Liver's expression grew wistful as he spoke of the past. But after a brief pause, he turned to Bulat with a serious tone.

"Bulat, you used to be my subordinate. I know your worth—you're a rare talent. Why would you join the rebels? If you're willing to leave Night Raid now, I can plead with Lady Esdeath to pardon your crimes."

"General Liver, there's no need to try convincing me. You know how stubborn I am. I've completely lost faith in this Empire. All I want now is to help bring down this rotten system. But what about you, General Liver? Why would you choose to become a pawn of the Prime Minister? Are you really blind to what the Empire has become?"

Bulat firmly rejected the offer, then questioned Liver with a mix of frustration and disbelief.

In Bulat's eyes, Esdeath was just another tool of the Prime Minister—a weapon used to keep Great General Budo in check. He couldn't understand why someone like Liver, who once stood firmly against corruption, would now serve someone like her.

"Bulat… I don't serve the Prime Minister. I serve Lady Esdeath, and her alone. Whatever mission she assigns me, I carry it out. That's all. Since you've made your choice, there's nothing more to say. We each serve different masters now. Let's settle this with strength. I want to see just how much you've improved after all these years."

Liver knew then that Bulat wouldn't back down. His tone turned resolute as he spoke.

As his words fell, the tension between the two sides thickened. A clash was inevitable.

...

But just then, the atmosphere was broken by the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps. The attention of both parties immediately shifted toward the source.