On the grass outside Rousei Village, a woman in her twenties lay quietly in a pool of cold blood.
Her thick black hair was spread out on the ground, and she wore a white headscarf. The simple apron tied around her was full of sword cuts and dark red bloodstains.
The woman did not possess stunning beauty, but she had a fresh, girl-next-door charm. A long strand of hair partially covered her cheek, and the blood dripping from the corner of her mouth gave her an oddly enchanting allure.
Her wide-open eyes had lost most of their luster, and her chest, which still rose and fell slightly, indicated that she was barely clinging to life.
She was about to die…
"Ah, Akame-chan is still Akame-chan. Even though you've become stronger, you're still so kind. That makes you unqualified, you know… cough …"
Spitting out two mouthfuls of blood, the woman, Martha, Akame's target, murmured to herself.
"This hellish world, I won't have to see it anymore."
Even though she was about to die, Martha showed no fear or attachment. Instead, she wore an expression of anticipation and relief.
Closing her eyes, she felt the cool breeze and the gradual fading of her life, waiting for death to take her away from this endless prison. Martha realized that death might be the most beautiful thing in the world…
However, just then, the sound of footsteps crunching on dry grass broke the silence of the night.
Instinctively, she opened her eyes, and under the moonlight, a man with black hair and black eyes, as if stepping out of a dream, appeared before her.
"You're still alive. It seems my trip wasn't in vain."
The man's voice carried a magnetic charm, and the slight curve of his lips exuded a sinister allure that momentarily stunned Martha.
"Heh… Is this the heaven's final gift to me…"?
Thinking it was a hallucination, Martha smiled gently and, with her last bit of strength, raised a hand as if trying to grasp something.
If there was one regret Martha had about her life, it was that she had never experienced true love. Finally, at the end of her life, had the heavens granted her this wish?
This hellish world, which she had cursed her entire life, had finally given her a reason to be grateful!
When her hand was gently held and pressed against the man's cheek, Martha smiled, a happy smile. Her lifeless eyes curved like crescent moons.
This was enough. Her final regret was gone, and she could leave in peace…
But the next moment—
"Miss Martha, right? Although it's a bit unfortunate, I have to tell you some bad news. It seems you're not going to die after all!"
As he spoke, Sora transmitted his internal energy into Martha's body through their connected hands.
If his abilities hadn't been sealed, a single burst of life energy would have been enough to revive the woman before him. Although internal energy wasn't as powerful and was more troublesome, with some effort, he could still save her.
Just as she felt herself on the brink of death, a warm surge of energy entered her body. Martha was shocked to find her vitality slowly returning.
Her eyes snapped open, filled with disbelief, as she stared at the man before her, who was no illusion but very real.
"Hehe, little handsome guy, I don't know who you are, but it's no use. Akame-chan's weapon is cursed. I'm beyond saving."
"But still, thank you. If it were possible, I wouldn't mind having a little romance with you…"
With her strength somewhat restored by the internal energy, Martha looked at Sora and laughed.
Since she was about to die, Martha spoke her mind freely, seemingly unusually bold!
Sora was momentarily stunned, then amused. It seemed he had just been teased by this woman!
It had been years since anyone had teased him like this, aside from the mischievous No. 3 of the Sekirei Girls, Kazehana.
"Hehe… Don't worry, we'll have plenty of chances to 'love' each other!"
Gritting his teeth, Sora said with a hint of menace. Under Martha's astonished gaze, he lifted her from the ground, a wicked smile on his lips, and kissed her still bloodstained lips.
"Mmm…"
Instinctively, a wave of shyness washed over her, and her pale, bloodless cheeks flushed with color. Her eyes, now regaining some life, stared wide at Sora, clearly shocked by his sudden and bold move.
However, Martha didn't resist or struggle. She thought to herself, since she was about to die, she might as well let this brat have his way. Even in death, she wanted to experience what it was like to kiss someone.
So, not only did she not struggle, but she also clumsily reciprocated.
Although it felt a bit strange, Martha had to admit that the warm, smooth sensation was quite pleasant. She even wished it could last forever.
Under normal circumstances, Sora would have savored the sweetness of the woman, but he didn't have the time now. He noticed that Martha's wounds were still bleeding profusely, and he remembered the ability of Akame's weapon, the Kiriichimonji, which prevented wounds from healing.
If he was correct, the Kiriichimonji was likely a replica of the Teigu, the One-Cut Killer [Murasame]. However, since the curse technique had been lost, the sword didn't possess the same powerful curse as the Murasame, only inheriting a fraction of its ability to prevent wounds from healing.
As Sora had guessed, through their intimate kiss, he could clearly sense the faint presence of the curse poison within Martha's body.
Without hesitation, he activated his ability. After merging with the curse of the Murasame, Sora had become the only person in the world who still possessed the power of curses.
Without Martha's knowledge, one after another, mysterious and sinister curse symbols were transferred from her body to Sora's through their tongues. As the last curse symbol disappeared from Martha's body, the bleeding from her wounds finally stopped.
"Ha… Ha… Even if I die now, it's worth it."
As the "poison extraction" ended, Sora released her, and Martha laughed while panting.
Still lost in the wonderful sensation of the moment, Martha didn't notice that her body was actually much better than before and was rapidly recovering under the nourishment of Sora's internal energy.
Sora's eye twitched in exasperation. He had put in so much effort; even the King of Hell himself would have to retreat!
"Hmph, die? You won't be dying anytime soon in this lifetime!"
With a cold snort, Sora said in a huff.
Slightly taken aback, Martha felt a surge of emotion as she looked at the domineering Sora.
If she really didn't have to die, she might as well think of a way to win over this adorable young man!
Well, if Sora knew what Martha was thinking at this moment, he would probably be so furious that he'd spit blood while marveling at the audacity of this woman!
It had always been Sora who pursued others, but now someone dared to have such thoughts about him. This woman was undoubtedly the first in history!