Being Overpowered in Akame ga Kill

The gates of the Imperial Capital were tightly shut, and outside stretched a dense mass of troops—soldiers of the Revolutionary Army, followers of the Path of Peace, and the western tribal coalition. Atop the walls stood Imperial troops, their expressions tense, as the shadow of war loomed over the ancient city.

"Cartel, please! Let me see Lord Haruki. The situation is urgent—I have no other choice!"

Outside Haruki's estate, Prime Minister Honest pleaded anxiously with the butler, his tone unusually tinged with desperation.

But Cartel remained unmoved.

"Prime Minister Honest, the young master said he already knows why you're here. He has his own plans, and some matters you'll have to resolve on your own. He won't be seeing you. Also, he reminds you—the Supreme Teigu is in your possession. You're free to use it however you like."

Cartel spoke with composed precision, showing none of the panic one might expect given the imminent war.

In the past, he would've never dared speak to a minister like this. But after witnessing Honest grovel before Haruki more than once—and with Haruki's own instruction to not spare the minister's pride—Cartel came to understand that Haruki must hold a far more secretive and significant role within the Empire. At the very least, he was much more than just a Security Minister.

"Well... alright. Send my regards to His Lordship."

Realizing Haruki truly had no intention of meeting him, Honest didn't dare insist. He left after a few terse words. With the capital under siege, he had too many problems to waste time lingering at Haruki's estate.

...

"So, it's time I made a few preparations."

After hearing Cartel's report about the Prime Minister's visit, Haruki spoke calmly.

What he meant by preparations, of course, was related to his residence. Once the allied army broke into the city, it wouldn't just be the western tribes to worry about—the Revolutionary Army, known for their methods, would surely plunder and ravage without restraint. The Imperial Capital, with its thousand-year history, held unimaginable wealth—far beyond anything found in the border cities the coalition had taken so far. A single noble estate could rival the value of an entire frontier town.

And Haruki's mansion, luxurious enough to rival the palace, would undoubtedly be among the first targets for those with greedy eyes.

Although Haruki and the women around him weren't concerned for their own safety, the estate was massive—even he couldn't protect every corner of it at once.

"Master, there's been some unrest among the maids recently. Should we go reassure them?"

It was Taeko who reported this.

"That's understandable. War is near—it's natural they're uneasy. Go tell them to stock up on food and stay inside the mansion. Just let them know I guarantee their safety."

Haruki paused for a moment before answering.

Most of the maids were young women sold into noble households. With no families to turn to, they were anxious, but none had expressed a desire to leave. After all, this mansion was the closest thing they had to a home.

"Yes."

After hearing Haruki's instructions, Taeko immediately went off to carry them out.

"Oh, and take these with you."

After she left, Haruki took several small flag-like items from his storage ring and handed them to the girls around him.

"Brother, what are these for?"

Though they knew anything Haruki gave them had to be valuable, they couldn't figure out the purpose of these arm-length flags. Curious, Nina asked the question everyone was thinking.

"These are formation flags. They're an essential part of a formation setup. The ones you're holding are the control keys. Once you drop your blood on them, you'll be able to use the flags to control the entire formation."

Haruki explained calmly.

"Um, brother... what exactly is a formation?"

Since this world had no concept of formations, the term was completely new to them. Naturally curious, Cher leaned in, eyes wide.

"There are all kinds of formations, but in short, they're setups that don't rely on personal strength. Instead, they draw power from the world around them—attacking, defending, or supporting as needed.

With the allied army invading soon, we can't guarantee the safety of everyone in the estate. That's why I'm going to set up a Sun-Devouring Grand Formation. It's both offensive and defensive. During the day, it absorbs sunlight to sustain itself, and stores that energy to operate through the night.

Once activated, the formation will create a light barrier over the estate. It'll block all unauthorized entry and exit and automatically attack anyone with hostile intent.

Don't underestimate it—its attacks can easily match your own, if not surpass them."

"Whoa... that sounds amazing. But what do these flags actually do in all that?"

While the others stared in awe, Cornelia—more attentive than the rest—suddenly thought of a question and turned to Haruki.

"The grand formation is built from many individual flags like the ones you're holding. Through your flag, you'll be able to see what's happening around each part of the formation. You can also use it to launch wide-area attacks. And once the formation is active, no one will be able to enter or leave without your permission."

Haruki answered.

"That's incredible! How come it feels like you know everything, brother?"

The girls were thoroughly impressed—not just by the formation, but by Haruki's knowledge and the ease with which he explained such complex things.

"Well, of course. Don't forget who I am."

Haruki could only respond that way. It wasn't like he could tell them he had a system. Even the women closest to him didn't know. That was a secret he kept carefully.

In truth, Haruki wasn't just experimenting with formations on the fly. Back when he trained in the Royal Palace's cultivation tower, he had spent extensive time studying them. With the system's help, calling him a grandmaster of formations was no exaggeration.