Survival in Akame ga kill

General Budo stood over Bane, his wintery eyes unwavering. The aftermath of his attack still hung thick in the air, smoke rising from the charred remains of the chapel, but Budo’s focus was solely on the rebel kneeling before him. 

Time was running out, and he needed answers, now.

As seconds passed Budo uttered, “I’ll give you one chance,” his voice low and rigid. 

“Tell me where your companion went, and I won’t make this any more painful for either of you. Surrender her location, and this ends without further suffering.”

Budo’s offer was clear, without a hint of compassion. It was simply a choice between pain or cooperation for the rebel kneeling in front of him.

Hearing Budo’s statement, the charred figure in the wreckage finally tried to respond. 

He forced his throat to work, but the raw, scorched tissue refused to produce sound. 

“.........” His mouth opened, but nothing came out. A faint wheeze escaped his lips as his body struggled to obey him, every movement bringing fresh waves of agony.

Seeing his condition, Budo’s eyes narrowed slightly, frustration flickering beneath his calm exterior. “Can’t speak?” he said flatly. “Then point. Show me where she went.”

Hearing this slowly, painfully, Bane showed some response. He raised his arm, the motion sluggish and strained. 

His scorched hand trembled every second as he lifted it, his fingers curling weakly.

And then he pointed.

His shaking middle finger extended directly toward Budo.

“...........” 

For a moment, there was complete silence as Bane, trembling and barely holding on to life, openly raised his middle finger toward one of the most powerful beings in the Great Empire.

Any sane imperial citizen who witnessed this spectacle would be paralyzed with fear, their blood running cold. 

This kind of scene would make even the bravest soldiers from both the Imperial and Revolutionary armies tremble in fear, beg for mercy, or drop to their knees in terror. 

The idea of such defiance in front of the great general was unthinkable. Only a madman, or someone who had completely abandoned the will to live, would dare to insult the mightiest general of the Empire in this way.

Yet, here the charred and broken rebel was flipping off the man who could end his life with the slightest twitch of his fingers.

Budo didn’t react, his expression remained unreadable, his rigid posture unshaken by the insolence. 

There was no sign of rage, only the cold focus of a man who had seen this kind of insolence before.

He locked eyes with the rebel, whose resolve to die was written plainly in his bloodshot, azure eyes. 

It was clear the rebel had accepted his fate, daring to challenge him, knowing full well it could be his end.

Most men would have quaked in fear, screamed for mercy, or broken under the mere sight of him, let alone dared to flip him off. 

Only a madman, or someone who had already resigned themselves to death, would be this bold.

Budo didn’t react in anger, for he had seen this before. He recognized the defiance of a warrior who would rather die on his own terms than submit. 

It was something that, in another time, he might have respected.

“Shame there aren’t many like you left in this empire,” Budo muttered, almost regretfully. But his posture straightened, rigid once again. “But defiance won’t save you.”

Suddenly, he flexed his muscles and kicked Bane with brutal force, launching the rebel through the air.

“Gah!!,” Bane felt a shock of pain ripple through him as his body was hurled backward, crashing through the air like a rag doll. 

The world blurred as he flew, his body spiraling before slamming into the ground near a riverbank, a few hundred meters away from the chapel. 

His body landed with a sickening thud, rolling several feet before skidding to a halt near the water’s edge.

“Arh,” Bane groaned, his body limp, blood pouring from fresh wounds as he lay sprawled across the shore. 

He coughed up blood, the metallic taste filling his mouth as his eyes fluttered, trying to stay conscious. 

The water lapped at his body, the cold sensation offering a strange mix of relief and more pain. 

The blood that oozed from his body began to seep into the shallow river, staining the surrounding water.

But before he could fully grasp the situation, Budo appeared in a flash, having covered the distance with a powerful leap. 

His shadow loomed over him. He didn’t waste time as he reached down and gripped Bane’s neck with his muscular hand. 

The strength of his grip was immense, but Budo didn’t apply pressure just yet. There was no need. The rebel was barely hanging on as it was.

With effortless strength, Budo lifted the rebel off the ground, suspending him above the river.

Budo had to end this soon whether the rebel lived or died.

He had already shown some mercy earlier. Now it was the rebel’s turn to endure what was about to happen.

Author’s Note: I’m know that this chapter is shorter (approx. 900 words) than the usual 1400 words chapters. I will compensate later by uploading longer chapters. Thank you.