Chapter 18: The Empire's True Colors

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When F/N arrives at the church clearing he finds that none of the members of the Elite Seven are even there. F/N looks around the clearing to try and figure out what happened. He notices that there appears to have been a minor struggle and that there are several dead guards in the area. F/N also notes that the bodies of Gozuki and Tsukushi have been taken. He figures that everyone has gone to the Capital.

Two days later F/N finds out what happened to all the members of the Elite Seven. They were arrested on account of being suspects in the death of Gozuki. The Prime Minister decided that since one of them betrayed the Empire that they all could be traitors. Since Kurome and Natala have been given drug enhancements that they depend on to even live, the Prime Minister decides that they are worth keeping around. He sends them to the assassination squad called the Dark Squad. Since Poney has not been given any drug enhancements and was also unable to capture Akame, the Prime Minister decides to make an example of her. She is to be executed to show to the whole Empire what happens to traitors.

On the day of the execution, F/N goes to the coliseum where the execution is to take place. He hopes to be able to save Poney somehow. This hope soon dies as F/N sees a huge number of guards at the coliseum. Poney is tied to a cross in the center of the coliseum. In addition, there are thousands of spectators for the event. F/N knows that if he tries to do anything he and Poney will end up dead. He decides that all he can do is watch Poney's final moments.

When the appointed time of the execution comes the child emperor of the Empire gives a speech about how the Elite Seven have turned against the Empire. He then goes on to say how Poney is one of their traitorous members. When the Emperor has finished his speech a man in a white gas mask enters the coliseum with a flamethrower. The man walks over to Poney and using the flamethrower burns her to death. F/N watches this event unfold and decides that he will kill that masked man for this.

As F/N watches Poney being burned to death he thinks, "So this is what the Emperor is willing to do to keep his power. If anything is a threat to him, then he will just eliminate that person. I bet this came from the Prime Minister, but still ultimately the choice is that foolish child emperor's to make. It would seem that the leaders of this Empire may be even worse than all of the people I have killed. It is only right that I determine for myself the truth. I need to know if the Empire is even salvageable as it currently is, or if it must be torn down."

After the execution, F/N realizes that the Prime Minister has used Poney as an example to cause obedience throughout the Empire. At least that is what F/N figures the Prime Minister was planning. The Prime Minister's plan works to perfection as the people become terrified to know that anyone that betrays the Empire could be killed. F/N is personally disgusted by the actions of the Prime Minister, but does not take any action at this time since he is not sure what he could even do.

Once F/N has returned to his forest base, he decides to start looking more into the Empire and what people actually think about it. F/N has to admit that joining the Revolutionary Army may be the only way that the Empire can truly be fixed. Since Prime Minister Honest is so corrupt and has the Emperor wrapped around his finger, F/N figures that killing them is the only way to solve the current problems in the Empire. F/N knows though that he will not be able to do that easily without help.

F/N begins to travel around the Empire more to learn about what other cities think about the Empire. He learns from various sources about the cruelty that the Empire shows to many people. One thing that is particularly concerning to F/N is that he learns that the Empire sends their Incineration squad to villages that they suspect are housing revolutionary spies. The squad then burns everyone to death. To F/N this is a serious crime and he plans to deal with the Incineration squad as soon as he returns to the Capital.

Reaper of the Empire (Akame Ga Kill x Male Reader)Where stories live. Discover now