"Have I been exposed?" Esdeath's words immediately made Daniel Davis realize that his cover had been blown. As this thought crossed his mind, he moved swiftly, disappearing from the icy fortress wall to avoid the ice spikes Esdeath had unleashed.
"Trying to escape? Gray Ice Horn!" Seeing Daniel evade her attack, Esdeath let out a cold snort. She took a step forward and pressed her palm against the fortress wall. In the next instant, a massive ice spike extended from the wall, hurtling toward Daniel, who was leaping off the fortress.
"Quick reflexes, huh?" Daniel noted with a smile as he saw the ice spike speeding toward him. He stepped lightly on the air, and in a flash, he appeared on top of the ice spike. Standing on it, Daniel waved cheerfully at Esdeath on the wall.
Boom!
The massive ice spike plummeted into the ranks of the northern tribal army below, driving itself deep into the frozen earth. The shockwave from its impact sent northern soldiers flying in all directions.
The sudden commotion immediately caught the attention of both sides in the battle, especially the soldiers nearby, who all turned to look.
"General Esdeath!" The Three Beasts, Esdeath's elite soldiers, were visibly shaken when they saw the enormous ice spike extending from the fortress wall.
Moments later, the Empire's side sounded the retreat. As the horn echoed across the battlefield, the soldiers of the northern army immediately began their withdrawal.
Following orders without question is a fundamental rule in any military, yet few armies achieve this level of discipline. Those that do are considered elite. In the entire Empire, only Esdeath's northern army maintained such discipline, proving her to be a remarkable general.
"Attack!" As the Empire's forces began to retreat, the northern tribesmen were filled with excitement. Led by a handsome young man in a white robe wielding a long spear, they launched a pursuit. To the northern tribes, the Empire's retreat signaled their victory.
But their joy was short-lived. The next moment, the leading tribesmen were impaled by sudden, massive ice spikes that erupted from the ground.
Those who died instantly from the ice spikes were the lucky ones, spared from prolonged agony. The unfortunate ones, skewered but still alive, could only hang on the spikes, slowly waiting for death.
"That's brutal," Daniel remarked, wincing at the gruesome sight of the impaled tribesmen. It wasn't that he feared Esdeath; it was just a natural reaction to seeing such horrific injuries.
The sudden appearance of numerous ice spikes not only inflicted heavy casualties on the northern tribes but also blocked their advance.
These ice spikes were exceptionally sturdy. Apart from a few individuals who could shatter them, most tribesmen could only leave faint marks on them with their weapons.
After creating the ice spikes, Esdeath didn't bother looking at the tribesmen. She jumped onto the massive ice spike extending from the wall and slid down its length toward Daniel, as if skating on ice.
"Esdeath!" Prince Numa Seika, the leader of the northern tribes, shouted in fury as he charged toward the ice spike. Leaping onto it, he brandished his spear and lunged at Esdeath.
"Numa Seika!" The northern tribesmen, blocked by the ice spikes, roared in support, cheering for their prince and hero.
"Foolish." Watching Numa Seika confidently charge with his spear, Daniel shook his head. In Numa Seika's mind, he likely envisioned himself killing Esdeath in a single blow, becoming a hero of legend.
Unfortunately for him, Esdeath merely drew her sword from her waist. As they clashed, there was a flash of cold light. Esdeath slid past Numa Seika, leaving him frozen mid-lunge, spear still extended.
Ice spread rapidly from Numa Seika's abdomen, encasing his entire body. His frozen form then tumbled from the ice spike, shattering into countless sparkling shards as it hit the ground, glittering beautifully in the sunlight.
Poor Numa Seika didn't even get the chance to announce his name before Esdeath, treating him as nothing more than a lowly grunt, ended his life. In a way, this was a mercy, sparing him from the mental breakdown others had suffered after witnessing Esdeath's overwhelming power and groveling at her feet.
Najenda's estimate that Esdeath would take a year to suppress the northern tribes wasn't entirely wrong. Under normal circumstances, Esdeath would indeed have taken her time, savoring the battle.
Esdeath rarely exterminated her enemies completely. She usually left some alive to escape, giving them the chance to seek revenge in the future, which would then allow her to slaughter them all over again.
This was why Najenda, who had lost an arm and a leg, had survived her encounter with Esdeath—because Esdeath had deliberately spared her.
Back then, Najenda and Esdeath were both young generals of the Empire. Esdeath, who fought with brute force, and Najenda, who strategized with intellect, were a perfect pair. Had they worked together, they would have been unstoppable.
However, their differing approaches led to a rift during the southern rebellions and wars with the southern tribes. It was then that Najenda defected, eventually joining the Revolutionary Army, where she became one of its key leaders.
Ironically, it was Esdeath's mercy that ultimately contributed to her downfall, as Najenda's defection strengthened the Revolutionary Army.
The ongoing war with the northern tribes was prolonged by Esdeath's sadistic tendencies. If she had been more ruthless and committed to wiping out her enemies, the northern tribes would have been crushed long ago.
Numa Seika's death boosted the morale of the Empire's troops, while it had the opposite effect on the northern tribes. Many were left in disbelief that their famed hero had been so easily defeated. Some dropped their weapons in despair, while others, driven by the desire for revenge, charged at Esdeath.
In response, Esdeath snapped her fingers. A massive ice sphere, at least ten meters in diameter, appeared in the sky above, hurtling toward Daniel.
"I'm the target, huh?" Daniel mused as he looked up at the shadow falling from the sky. He raised his right hand. "Room. Slaughterhouse." In an instant, the massive ice sphere shattered into countless pieces, which rained down on the surrounding northern tribesmen.
For someone with the powers of the Op-Op Fruit, breaking apart such an ice sphere, or even a real meteor, was a trivial task.
After all, even Trafalgar Law could slice through a meteor summoned by Admiral Fujitora, so it was no surprise that Daniel, far more powerful, could do the same.
The scattered ice fragments caused significant casualties among the northern tribes, but neither Esdeath nor Daniel paid it any mind.
"Here we go again." As another massive ice sphere formed in the sky, Daniel shattered it with the Op-Op Fruit once more. To him, the Op-Op Fruit was the easiest way to deal with Esdeath's ice attacks.
"Who are you?" Esdeath's expression changed slightly as she saw her attacks being effortlessly neutralized.
"Before I answer that, could you tell me how you figured out I wasn't a real messenger?"
"It was simple. The minister wouldn't choose someone who shows him no respect as a messenger."
"So it was my attitude." Daniel smiled, impressed by Esdeath's keen observation.
"Now, let me answer your question and tell you who I am." Daniel said as he stepped back and clenched his right fist before slamming it into the ground.
Boom.
With a deafening roar, the ground around Daniel cracked and split, radiating outward like a giant spiderweb. The earth then shattered completely, creating a massive crater several kilometers wide.
The sudden upheaval caused significant casualties among the northern tribes, while Esdeath's northern army, farther away, was only shaken by the tremors, suffering minimal losses.
"I want this country, and I hope General Esdeath will assist me." Standing on a lone pillar in the center of the crater, Daniel spoke directly to Esdeath, who stood on an ice pillar at the same level.
Daniel made no effort to conceal his ambition, openly declaring his desire to conquer the country. In other worlds, various concerns had kept Daniel from acting freely, but in this world, there were no such constraints.
Esdeath, despite her loyalty to the Empire, continued to fight even as it crumbled around her. With her strength, she could have easily escaped, but she chose to stay and fight to the bitter end.
"Help you?" Esdeath said with a cryptic smile.
"Yes. If you help me, I can elevate your power even further, and you'll have countless strong enemies to challenge." Esdeath's talent was undeniable, and in the *Akame ga Kill* world, she had reached the pinnacle of power. But if she were to enter the world of *One Piece*, given time, she could certainly become an Admiral or even a Yonko-level figure.
Esdeath reminded Daniel of Netero from *Hunter x Hunter*—both were obsessed with personal strength. Daniel had once considered bringing Netero to the *One Piece* world but had let the idea fade over time. However, with Esdeath, there was no need to hesitate. Perhaps it was her beauty that made the difference.
"We'll see about that after you survive this. Mahapadma." Esdeath's smile turned icy as she invoked her ultimate technique. The space around Daniel suddenly turned into a blinding white void.
"What a terrifying Imperial Arm," Daniel thought as he felt the space around him freeze in time. If Esdeath's power continued to grow, she could potentially overpower even the Admirals or Yonko.
Breaking free from
Esdeath's technique required either overwhelming power or an intimate understanding of time. Fortunately, Daniel had both.
"I don't know where you came from, but I'll soon find out." Inside the frozen time, Esdeath approached Daniel with her sword, ready to slice off one of his arms.
Perhaps out of curiosity about Daniel's claims, Esdeath decided not to kill him outright.
Clang.
Just as Esdeath's sword was about to sever Daniel's right arm, he suddenly moved, flicking the tip of the blade with his finger. The force nearly made Esdeath lose her grip on her sword.
"You…" Esdeath's eyes widened in shock. Since she had developed Mahapadma, no one had ever been able to resist it. Even General Budo, though she hadn't fought him, wouldn't have been able to withstand this technique.
"A remarkable ability, but it doesn't work on me." Daniel didn't attack Esdeath. He simply remained in the frozen time until about ten seconds later, when the white void disappeared.
For most people, ten seconds is a fleeting moment, but for a powerful individual, even a single second can mean the difference between life and death.
"So, you're still not giving up." After Mahapadma dissipated, Esdeath took a few deep breaths and attacked Daniel again. Her persistence surprised Daniel, who had thought his display of power would have been enough to deter her.
As Esdeath charged again, Daniel easily subdued her. The difference in their strength was too vast. Even with her Imperial Arm's full power unleashed in defense, she couldn't hold off Daniel for even a moment.
"Release the General!" The Three Beasts immediately rushed to Esdeath's aid. Despite knowing they stood no chance against an opponent who had bested their leader, their loyalty drove them forward.
At the same time, the northern tribesmen also began to move, their target being the captured Esdeath.
Curiously, while they feared Esdeath, they showed less fear toward Daniel.
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